Need to Catch Up on Some of Your Reading Goals? Check Out This Readathon!

​When Christine Rees, a talented author and a good book friend, approached me to co-host a readathon with her I was excited to accept, especially with quarantine and all. We had this idea planned since the end of April, but I didn't know how to execute it until yesterday.

So, here we have, #BookOffImReading, a weekend readathon from May 22 to May 24. There aren't really any rules aside from read your heart out and use the hashtag to be entered into a $20 Amazon giveaway. There will also be some fun GIF formats to take part in throughout the weekend as well.

This readathon is our own creation and our goal for it was to just have fun, to get books read, and to read with other people.

​No matter how much or how little you read, come read with us this weekend! Fill out this form to enter the giveaway and get your TBR ready!

I have no clue.Yep. You heard me. This is the first month in all my years of book blogging that I’m not creating a monthly TBR. It’s okay if this makes you pull at your hair, I’m a bit nervous too, but I’m even more excited.With social distancing, it feels like my mood reading has been enhanced times 10. My reading heart tells me, “You better let me read what I want and when I want.” And honestly, I’m not going to fight it. This month, I’m going to let my heart do the talking. I’m going to let it guide me toward the books I’m truly in the mood for. With this in mind, I do have some reading goals for May:

Cater to mood reading (obviously).

Read more blacklisted books I’ve had for what seems like forever.

Keep on the audiobook binge.

Still moderately keep on top of ARCs and new releases.

So, basically for May, it’s going to be me trying to balance my mood reading and what my heart wants with continuing to stay on top of ARCs.Can I do it?We shall see!

​I woke up one morning and it was the first day of April. I closed my eyes, went to sleep, and when I woke up, it was the first day of May. Where has time gone?Despite the upheaval of routines due to the virus, April feels like it’s flown by at warp speed, and with it went 14 books from my TBR. I’ll admit, I’m rather impressed with this reading month and April has been my best yet (thank you audiobooks!)Oh, audiobooks. What would I have down without you? I binged 4 or 5, read a couple ebooks too, read a couple graphic novels, squeezed in a middle grade fiction, children’s fiction, and of course, don’t forget the romance! It’s been a soild month for genres. Here’s the list of books I’ve completed explained in further detail.

​Now that I’ve written all of this out and have analyzed my reading month further, it was actually EPIC. In total I had a 4 STAR reading month, I read in all book formats, and I read 8 different genres.I’m excited to see what my May wrap up will look like!

Currently, everyone is going through a difficult and different time, and every person is handling the COVID-19 situation differently, which is completely understandable. I’m going on my seventh week of working from home/social distancing and I’ve found an enjoyable routine that’s perfect for my mental health, but the first two weeks were quite hard on me. I felt too stir crazy to read. I felt sad about being unable to see my friends and family. It felt weird no longer going to the office to work.But, despite all the weird changes COVID has placed within my life, I’ve found many good things too. I decide to focus on these good things, because when I do, it makes everything seem a little bit easier, that we’ll indeed get through this. Here are 6 things that I’ve appreciated so far during quarantine:

1. Spending Time With My Significant Other

My boyfriend and I have been dating for roughly three months, and I honestly don’t know what I’d do without him in this situation, as I cannot see my family. If I did not have him, I’d have zero human contact, which would make my mental health suffer. I appreciate all the time I spend with him and in a way, quarantine has made it easier to get to know one another faster and more intimately!

2. Kitty Cuddles And of course, when my boyfriend isn’t at my place, I’m never quite alone as I have two, beautiful tabbies: Benjamin and Ariel. Even though I work from home and my main focus surrounds the tasks I’m working on, I can tell they appreciate my constant presence and breaks of pets and cuddles. Getting to spend everyday with them has been a blessing.

​3. Drinking Tea and Coffee

My tea stash is quite over-the-top, so I’m glad quarantine has allowed me to make a dent, to empty some cans and boxes. With WFH, I’ve been able to drink lots more tea and coffee, and these cozy drinks definitely make everything a little easier.

Another fun thing about quarantine has been supporting local and small businesses. I’ve purchased more book sleeves from @goodvibesgoodbooks on Instagram. Her Etsy shop is amazing! I’ve also gotten some loose leaf tea from Cup of Te and my boyfriend and I have ordered food from local KW restaurants. Coffee from Aroma Cafe in Waterloo is amazing!

5. Going for Isolated Nature Walks

One of my favourite things to do when it’s nice out is going for isolated nature walks. It feels amazing to not be inside all the time and to appreciate nature. This time has helped me explore places that I’ve never ventured to before. ​

6. Baking

I’m not a professional chef or baker, but during social distancing I have been trying to bake something every weekend. So far it’s been muffins and cookies. It’s quite fun, especially when my boyfriend pitches in and it becomes a fun activity we can do together.

No matter how you’re handling the situation, I’m sending you the warmest wishes and vibes your way, and I hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy! Need to change things up? Try going for a nature walk or pick up a new recipe. It’s refreshing!

Last Sunday, February 23, 2020 (I want to remember this date if I ever go back and read this again - nostalgia is real), I attended an HCC Frenzy event for Alex Light’s book, The Upside of Falling. We went to CACAO 70 Eatery which is a pretty sweet fondue restaurant in Toronto, Ontario. So, not only was the company great, but the food was too. For those of you who do not know, Alex Light’s book is a teen romance novel, which was originally written on Wattpad. It still is on Wattpad, but it is also now a published book through Harper Teen. The Wattpad worker who attended the event with Alex Light told us to basically look at the Wattpad version as a first draft. It was intriguing and interesting to hear about the process of Wattpad and how Alex Light’s book became what it is today. The author was also a total sweetheart to talk to, as well as the HCC Frenzy employees (they are always such gems). Speaking of talking, I also met four other book influencers/online creators at the event:

Meeting new (to me) creators for the first time is a bit nerve wracking, but it is one of my favourite things about events like these. Make sure to check them out. All of their accounts have such unique elements. So, with coffee, chocolate, fruit, books and good company, this event was absolutely smashing.

On Bookstagram, a lot of people have been asking me about how to go about journaling, so I decided to write a blog talking about how to approach journaling, and also how to keep it as a consistent routine.

How Did I Start Journaling?

I was inspired to start journaling thanks to Cierra and Mike from @cierraandmike on Instagram. I saw that they incorporated it into their daily routines and immediately I was inspired. Cierra calls it “free therapy” because you can dump all your feelings on a page and get them off your chest. I have to agree.

Why Should You Journal?

You should start journaling because it provides many emotional and mental health benefits such as:

Helping anxiety levels

Helping stress levels

Helping depression

How can journaling do all of this? Through the process of journaling it helps you face your worries and fears. When they are written on a page it can become easier to process. It also helps you recognize how you are feeling and the triggers that caused you to feel this way. My favourite part: it helps you replace negative self-talk with positive self-talk. If you’d like even more information on journaling and mental health, check out University of Rochester Medical Center.

Now, let’s get into how to go about journaling. Step 1: Buy a Notebook

I say buy a notebook instead of using one that may be laying around your home because you are going to want a book you are drawn to; you are going to want a notebook that is going to make you want to write in it everyday. I’m a sucker for inspirational quotes on the covers of notebooks. I currently use Indigo’s hardcover journal large mosaic shine bright. I love the size and the feel of the paper. If patterns are your thing; go for it. If blank pages are your thing; go for it. Get something you will love and want to fill.

Step 2: Set a Time of Day to Write

Setting a time of day to sit down and write is crucial to be successful with journaling. Typically, choose whether the morning or evening works best for you. I take 10 minutes every morning to journal with a cup of coffee, but maybe you’ll choose to do it at night before bed, alongside meditation. When you make it a motion to do it every morning or every night, you will find you will become more consistent with this habit.

Step 3: Choose What to Write About

I feel like this is the biggest roadblock with journaling. People have told me they really want to get into journaling but they never know what to write about. I get it. I used to be the same way. Here are some helpful tips:

Choose one topic and one topic only. This will help your brain to focus instead of straying.

Write in lists. If writing in paragraphs seems too daunting for you, try bullet-pointed lists. At least you’re still getting your feelings down on a page.

Focus on topics such as growth, change, personal development, self-love. You can choose subtopics within these subjects and I find that these topics make me feel the most uplifted.

Take to Pinterest and seek inspiration. Simply search “journal prompts” and dozens of options pop up. I use these about once a week.

Journal Away!

You are now ready to conquer journaling. Are you ready to be reconnected with positivity and self love? Don’t forget a stunning notebook, setting out certain times of day to write and focusing on one topic.

You got this!

Last Sunday, I had the honour of being interviewed by Cierra and Mike from @cierraandmike on Instagram. For those of you who don’t know, both Cierra and Mike are online influencers for their brand Peace, Love, Carrots. Their goal is to help people achieve their own goals and to manifest a healthy mindset. As a person who shares their same outlook of life, they are a huge inspiration for me everyday.

So, when they asked me to be interviewed on their podcast, I said absolutely.

Their thematic idea with this podcast episode was rejection and how to grow from it.

The main topics that were talked about were my book writing/querying process for More Than Us, which is being published by GenZ/Zenith publishing in August 2020, and my book blogging platform. Success doesn’t come easy. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. But when Cierra and Mike asked me questions about rejection through this process and portion of my life, it made me realize how much I have grown as a person, and of course, it turned into a positive twist.

As my brand continues to branch into lifestyle and mental health along with books, I wish to do more collaborations like this with influencers. It was so eye-opening and fulfilling to talk about my journey and also reflect on it.

Please visit the links I have put within this blog to find out more about Cierra and Mike, to listen to the podcast episode and to discover more about More Than Us.

A bit ago, when I was brainstorming new blog ideas, I had asked my followers on Bookstagram what kind of content ideas they’d like to see. Someone requested I talk about my reading routine and I laughed a little, because really…

I don’t have one.

An Explanation

What I mean by not having a reading routine is that I don’t always read at the same times during a day and I don’t always “prepare” in the same ways either. So, while I don’t have a set routine, I do have reading preferences, which is what I’ll be talking about.

When Do I Read?

I basically fit reading in whenever I can. I try to read a bit before work and of course after work too, but sometimes after working out and making dinner I’m too sleepy to even hold a book. Sometimes I’ll bring the book I’m reading to work and sneak in a couple pages at lunch.

What Do I Wear When I Read?

Again, since I fit reading in whenever I can, sometimes I’ll be in work attire and other times I’ll be in yoga attire, but my ideal apparel (especially on weekends) is one of my favourite pairs of sweatpants and a v-neck t-shirt. Comfort is key. When I really want to get snuggled I wear my wooly slippers.

What Do I Drink When I Read?

Tea. Tea is my go-to when I read. I always start my day off with a cup of coffee, but after that I typically drink tea. I usually like drinking black tea while reading a book, like orange pekoe or chai, because they just feel cozier to me.

Where Do I Read?

My preferred and ideal reading spot is my couch. I am blessed with a huge sliding door window in my living area so there is plenty of natural light and I’m able to have a calming city view.

I would say I have more of a “reading routine” during the weekend and this simply consists of slipping into comfy clothes and sipping on steeped tea.

Do you have any sort of reading routine or reading preferences?

Four years ago I created a Bookstagram account simply to keep on top of reading.

Where It Began

I grew up reading. Having reading time in grade school was my favourite thing to look forward to and I gobbled up huge fantasy series in grades 9 and 10. But after that, I kind of fell off the reading wagon. School overtook a bunch of my time.

In grade 12, I took creative writing and it was in this course that I found my true passion for writing. I was in this class with Carly from @beautynherbooks (please check her out). She showed me what Bookstagram was, so I went for it and tried it.

Instantly, I fell back in love with reading. It was cool learning to write reviews and blog posts. It was interesting experimenting with themes (it took me four years to finally find what I love) and editing processes.

Where I Am Now

My platform has grown to 11.2K followers and I no longer just talk about books. I talk about mental health, writing, working out, beauty, anything that has to do with uplifting inspiration. The numbers don’t even stick in my mind. It is when people comment on my posts or reply to my stories, it is when I see how I inspire others. That is what sticks. It warms my heart so much.

Trust In The Process

Sure, it’s nice I guess having a large audience, but it takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of self discovery, commitment and strength. It took me three years to stop comparing myself to other bloggers. It took me noticing my strengths and weakness and growing upon them, enhancing them. I am a much better photographer when things are not staged with props, so I stopped forcing myself to try that. Now, I take in-the-moment photos instead with minimalist aspects, and this is what really speaks to me. It’s what makes me happy. I found a photo editing process that really speaks to me too.

Bookstagram should be all about you, what you like, what speaks to you, what makes you happy and not others. Once you realize this and really work on that, it becomes such a fulfilling hobby and platform.

Just Because I’m a “Big” Account

I don’t even consider myself a large account, but friends, family and other bloggers have, and that is okay.

I just want to break a stereotype though, and an assumption. Just because someone has a large following on Instagram DOES NOT make them better than you and it does not mean they are arrogant or stuck up either. They are a person, a human, just like every other blogger who puts a ton of effort into their account.

I don’t know about other bloggers with “big” accounts, but I am always open to conversation. Like I have said, numbers don’t matter to me. It’s fine if you roll your eyes at this. For me it’s about the human contact and communication. I love talking to everyone and anyone. I want to be someone to go to for advice. I want to be someone to go to if you need to vent or have a bad day.

My Main Goal as a Blogger

But most of all I want to be someone who inspires.

That is literally all I want. I just want to make a difference. And I have achieved this through blogging within the last year and it makes me so happy I could cry.

It didn’t happen overnight. It took overcoming doubts and perfectionism. This entire process has been totally worth it and I am excited to see what this coming blogging year brings.

I know you’re probably tired of me talking about Lisa Jewell and her amazing book, The Family Upstairs, but I wanted to do an official documentation of the event from last week.

This was my first book event since moving to Waterloo, so that alone made it quite exciting. A local library had Lisa Jewell as a guest to talk about her latest book and it was such a s riot.

I learned so much about Lisa thanks to the amazing interviewer Liz from @literary_lizard. Please check her out on Instagram, she is amazing and one of my closest book friends.

Did you know that Lisa actually started as an author of romance novels? If your jaw is dropped that’s okay, because mine was too. The Family Upstairs is so dark and twisty that I was shocked. First it was romance, then literary fiction, then thriller! She said she’d never go back to writing another genre and that she will continue writing thriller novels (YAY).

We also learned about her writing techniques and I was glad to see that hers and mine are the same: we don’t plan! She sits down and the story just comes to her! It’s nice to know that best-selling authors write this way too.

And her personality? I was laughing my ass off. I am a sucker for British humour and oh boy, did I ever get it. One of the hardest times I’ve laughed in 2020.

I will never forget this event or Lisa Jewell. Can’t wait to read her other books!

Winter can be difficult for some people. Whether it be the holiday season, Seasonal Affective Disorder, depression, anxiety--all your feelings are valid!

I have composed a list of things that may ease your “winter blues.” You can also use these tips at any time of the year, whenever you need a pick-me-up.

I am not saying these things will cure whatever you are feeling, but I do believe these will help you to feel more comfortable with whatever you’re going through. They have helped me in tough times.

Let’s check them out!

​Bubble Baths or Bath Bombs

I don’t know about you, but a warm bath instantly relaxes me. Heat is known to naturally relax muscles, so if you are feeling tense, this may be a good thing to do. Add some lavender scented bubbles or even plunk in a bath bomb to shake things up!

Comfy Clothes

Sometimes the comfort staying inside in comfy pjs or sweats can make you feel better. Lay back in bed or on your couch and pop on your favourite show!

Go Outside

Or you could do the total opposite and get some fresh air. Walk to your favourite cafe, grab a coffee, check out a park or a new path. Sometimes fresh air can really make you feel better. Sunshine can too!

Skincare

Sometimes when I really need to feel relaxed and refreshed, I pick out a face mask and take a good 15 minutes to let it sit on my face and do absolutely nothing. This allows your mind to relax and you’re also treating your skin with love.

These are just four simple tips that people may already know about and use, but reminders and support are nice.

If you’re going through a tough time don’t hesitate to reach out to me and feel free to use the above tips.

It’s the time of year where resolutions are made. It is the time of year where you set goals (big or small) to better yourself, others, or your community.

In 2019, I didn’t really have any reading goals or resolutions. It was a wild free-for-all. I read 143 books but at the end of the year I didn’t feel completely satisfied. Nearing the end of 2019, I kept reading more five-star books because I became more tedious and scrupulous with my reading. I began to read books that I actually felt like reading, ones I was excited for. I wish I had done it all year.

So, the chaotic reading year of mine that was 2019 has brought me to my, hopefully, more structured and mindful reading year of 2020.

One of my biggest reading resolutions for 2020 is to read one book at a time. Some of you may not see this as a goal or resolution, as I know many readers who already read one book at a time, but as I said before, 2019 was wild. On average, I would read four books at a time. There was even a period in the summer where I read eight at a time! I want to avoid this. I feel like reading one book at a time will help me give more focus toward my current read and it will help me to appreciate the story more. With this being said, if I am not feeling a book, I will not force myself to read it.

Another resolution that I may be the most excited for is reading one library book per month. The library in Waterloo is beautiful and I want to make great use out of it. Getting one library book per month will allow me to read books that I have really been wanting to read, without spending money.

My third bookish resolution is to shop mainly at indie bookstores. My overall resolution for 2020 is to support local, so this ties in. I have a gorgeous independent bookstore around the corner from my residence called Wordsworth Books, so if I buy books they will be coming from there.

My last reading resolution is to donate all books that I rate under four and five stars. I have a lot of books to read and I own a lot of books, so I don’t see the point in keeping books that I didn’t really love when someone else may very well love the story more than me!

As you can see, my reading for 2020 will be much more meticulous than 2019 and I am very excited for this change!

I have actually never even attempted a blog post like this before because it seemed too difficult to me - choosing favourite books is like choosing favourite children - you can’t.

But, this year I have put aside my thoughts of how daunting it would be. I made sections for myself and this made choosing my favourite reads much easier. Listed below are my favourite reads in each book category: YA, literary fiction, mystery/thriller, non-fiction, romance, historical fiction and fantasy.

Let’s take a look at what I loved in 2019! (All the Goodreads will be linked to the book title in case you would like to find out more about each book.)

This has been my most successful reading year yet in my three years of being a book blogger. I finished 143 books, so for these to be top picks, that says a lot.

Find out what my reading goals are for 2020 in my blog post next week!

​My 2019 Genre Preference Evolution

20-year-old Ryan at the beginning of 2019: “Anything with scifi and dystopia please!”

21-year-old Ryan at the end of 2019: “Give me all the romance.”

How did a get from point A to point B? Sometimes, I still shake my head, unable to discover why, but here’s the story:

My all-time favourite genre used to be sicfi and dystopia. I kind of lump these two together because they share a lot of the same futuristic attributes. It’s pretty much all I’d read aside from historical and literary fiction.

In the middle of the year, I really got into YA contemporary. After writing my own, I found a deeper appreciation for this genre and curated a more solid understanding of how this genre is so impactful and important. YA contemporary books are some of the most real and raw stories I have ever read. I wish I would have discovered this genre more as a teen, because there are so many things to relate to in these plots.

But, one of my favourite aspects about YA contemporary is their integration of a slow burn romance, and I think this is where my love for romance started to bud.

Back in 2018 and even into 2019, I hated romance. I thought it was stupid and cheesy and it made me gag. My personality changed in 2019 from an INFJ to an ESFJ and I think it was this personality changed that allowed me to be more open to feelings, as well as my own feelings. When reading romance, I used to hate feeling all warm and tingly, now I embrace it.

I love all the cheesy parts, the steamy parts. Yes, I like the sex too. Do I believe romance is for everyone? No. I feel like you have to have a certain personality to really love it, but I am grateful for my personality change because romance is now my go-to genre. Because of this, I have started to review for Harlequin much more and I have had such an enjoyable time doing so.

I wonder how my genre preferences will change in 2020, or if they will change at all.

That’s the book tea.

New Chapter + Year Recap

Hey there! It’s been quite a while since I have written an actual blog post and it’s a mixture of being busy and not really knowing what to write about, but I am going to try and be more purposeful and consistent with this corner of my website.Looking at the beginning of 2019 compared to the end, my life has changed dramatically. Looking back, I see a stranger - I am a completely different person and my Bookstagram has changed a lot too as I have grown and developed. I no longer only talk about books. I try to incorporate more of myself into it - more lifestyle and mental health aspects. It’s been a great hit and a lot of people have responded out of relating to similar interests and situations, so I’ll definitely keep this up in 2020.Bookish wise, I reached my reading goal of completing 130 books with 137. Career wise, I have a new full time job in my career field, so I know my ability to read so many books will change. I’ll definitely have to drop it down for 2020. I have already seen a difference in my reading habits. At the beginning of the year I averaged close to 10 books per month, now I average five, but this new job in a new city is so worth it. Waterloo is beautiful.So yeah. That’s basically where I’m at in my life. I have moved away from my hometown and I’m chilling in a beautiful city with my kitties. That’s the tea.

Meet Sarah!

'A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies,' said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.' "- George r r Martin

1. When did you start reading?I probably started reading for enjoyment around third grade. It was probably The Hobbit that changed things for me. I can vividly remember the summer before third grade I read Harry Potter for the first time. It was assigned as summer reading and I HATED every thing about that book. Mainly because it was an assignment and not for pleasure. I remember sitting in the circle on those first few days of school while every one went around and chatted about how fantastic the experience was. The excitement from every one of my classmates made me feel left out and curious that I went home and reread it for pleasure and had a completely different experience. At that point only the first two books were published so I didn’t continue with the series. Believe it or not I never really kept up to date on the movies either.

Two years ago I started from the beginning again and read the whole series and watched each movie after I completed the book. The experience as an adult was life changing and I feel hard for all things Harry Potter. I kick myself for not enjoying it, like my sister did, as each book and movie came out. Experiencing the Harry Potter craze 20 years later is comical, but I can’t express my gratitude towards the series and continue to reread my favorites quite often

2. What inspired you to read?Reading was always present in my life growing up. I have a little sister who loves to read and books were always available and around. I would say her love for books definitely kept the fire lit. Being able to share our thoughts and experiences together was also a pretty cool bonding experience growing up.

3 and 4. When did you start book blogging? I started my Bookstagram on New Years Eve 2017. It was a pretty spontaneous, alcohol induced session made off of my obsession with accounts like Xenatine’s. I knew I would never have such elaborate and colorful photos due to the fact that majority of the books I owned at the time had black spines. I am lucky to live only a few miles away from our public library and really took advantage of the opportunities to read and photograph the newest releases. My official blog, sarahsreads.com came shortly after along with starting to review books there and also on Goodreads. Everything seemed to take off life wildfire. I never in a million years would have thought that my silly Bookstagram obsession, along with passion for reading, would turn into, basically, a full time job filled with promotions, PR opportunities, and paid collaborations.

5. What are some of your favourite books?It’s so cliche, but my favorite books, hands down, are the LOTR series. I remember reading The Hobbit in third grade and enjoying the experience way more than my Harry Potter one the year before. This year I actually gave the reading a chance and fell in love with middle earth. I was also one of those young teens that waited in line at midnight to see the movie premiers. I still live for books like the LOTR, Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice and so many more. I also really love the Outlander series and ACOTAR series.

6. List three bookish facts about you. 6a. For starters, thanks to this Bookstagram life, my beautiful dining room has officially been converted to a library. 6b. Legolas, from LOTR, is my all time bookish crush. I don’t care that I’m almost thirty years old and still have a school girl crush on a fictional character. LOL Jamie Frazier comes in a close second.6c. Rachel Hollis’ book Girl Wash Your Face inspired me to make career changes and pursue my dreams full time. So many amazing life chances and inspiration came from that book. If I could recommend one book for the rest of my life it would be that one!

7. Where can we find you on social media?All of my direct platforms can be found in the link in my Instagram bio.Instagram: @sarahs_readsGoodreads: Sarahs_readsTwitter: @sarahs_readsBlog: sarahsreads.com

Meet Elisabeth!

The Waystone was his, just as the third silence was his. This was appropriate, as it was the greatest silence of the three, wrapping the others inside itself. It was deep and wide as autumn's ending. It was heavy as a great river-smooth stone. It was the patient, cut-flower sound of a man who is waiting to die. - The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss.

​1. When did you start reading?I was a "late" reader, I struggled heavily until second grade, whereupon I had the best teacher, Mrs. Nadeau, who took me from writing wobbly chicken scratch and reading "see... Spot.... r... r.... r ... run" in September to (still wobbly) cursive and simple chapter books in January. I know this because I recently found my second grade class journal, where she had us write about our weekends every Monday.

2. What inspired you to read?We didn't have TV when I was a kid (well, we had a television, but our choices were ABC, PBS, or PAX when the weather was clear and you held the rabbit ears and stood on one foot) and there is only so much jumprope one can jump. Not having TV accidentally isolated me from my peers' shared experiences, but books were always welcoming. I found lots of characters that I could relate to in books, even if my classmates weren't interested, and the stories themselves were escapism in themselves.

3. When did you start book blogging? It literally didn't occur to me that one could be a book blogger until this past November, when I stumbled upon Bookstagram through my friend, and I took the plunge at the end of December.

4. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey, including what started it all?I work in a bookstore so I have all these cool books surrounding me, but only a few of my coworkers read the same genres, and rarely the same books even within the genre. My friend started book blogging in early 2018, and it planted the seed. I confess I wasn't particularly observant and didn't realize I was following her on two accounts; when I realized that she had a public book focused account, and that this is a thing, I JUMPED at the chance to gush about books with other enthusiastic readers. The internet is truly beautiful for connecting small communities.

5. What are some of your favourite books?This is such a tough question, because I love different things about different books. I love Terry Pratchett for his satirical social commentary in a fantasy setting (just enough that you can read Discworld or Good Omens and recognize the absurdity of the world around us without feeling directly called out) and for his observational hilarity.

I love Jim Butcher's Dresden Files for the hilarious fantastical adventure in Chicago's magical underworld, because he has an imminently practical approach to magic (see: using a sharpie to draw a spell circle on the go, and crafting a finding spell by scotch taping a strand of hair to a windup duck), and because Butcher laid the groundwork for book 14 back in book 1, which is a masterful act of writer craft.

I love Marissa Meyers for her Lunar Chronicles and her Renegades trilogy for making me care about the villains without compromising their brutality.

6. List three bookish facts about you. I have a semi-photographic memory, but it only works for words. I'll remember how a block of text looked, but immediately forget colors or pictures or graphs and charts.

I skip past maps and songs in books. It's a bad habit, because sometimes I need to go back and re-read songs because plot points were hidden in the lyrics.

I love a good enemies to lovers trope.

7. Where can we find you on social media?I'm @does.it.have.a.dragon on Instagram, and you can find me posting on @gibsonsbookstorenh, too.

ARC August - Book Three

Another unexpected book added to my TBR. I feel like this happens a lot. The Ghost Collector by Allison Mills was sent to me by Annick Press. It is a juvenile fiction novel that comes out September 2019. They needed my interview answers for August, so this is why I am squeezing it in.

Meet Jana!

Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there's no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic. ― Laini Taylor, Daughter of Smoke & Bone

​1. When did you start reading?I began reading very early in life. In fact my earliest memories are of me awaiting my parents to come tuck me in and read me a story until I was old enough to read them myself. The amount of times I was caught reading under the covers with a flashlight tallies up into the hundreds.

2. What inspired you to read?My dad. My dad always had a book or two on the go, and I can't count how many times I would come into our living room and find him in his chair with a book. Combine that with being gifted books for every special occasion every year since I was born, my love of books was sort of engraved into who I am since birth.

3. When did you start book blogging?I've always been a writer, having a few blogs over the years since I was about 15, so half of my life. I only joined the bookish community after realizing there was one in 2017 and my book blog was born shortly after.

4. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey, including what started it all?I had always posted pictures of books to my Instagram before I had a Bookstagram, then when I discovered the Bookstagram community I wanted to immerse myself more into the bookish world. I started seeing people post about having bookish blogs, and as someone who has had a personal blog for about 18 years, a book blog seemed like the right way to go, and like something I would truly enjoy doing.

5. What are some of your favourite books?Harry Potter will forever be my all-time favourite book series, but over the last couple of years, I've discovered a few books/series that have definitely rivaled their way up to the top including Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, as well as Andrea Blythe Liebman's debut novel Young Power, first in its series I'm anxiously awaiting the second release of this October.

6. List three bookish facts about you. Fact 1: I own over 500 physical books, and over 2000 e-books. Fact 2: My husband converted our second bedroom into my dream library and we finally finished acquiring most of my dream pieces for my 30th birthday last week (July 31st)Fact 3: I'm just over halfway through writing my first novel, and I'm so proud that this story I've had and wanted to tell or the better part of 15 years when I had my first novel concept.

ARC August - Book Two

Originally this book wasn't a part of my TBR, but the more the merrier! I received a copy of Under The Scars by Isabella Morgan from the author. It is a romance novel and comes out August 15th.

ARC August - Book One

Woohoo! It's here: ARC August!

This is where you build your August TBR out of ARCs you need to catch up on. This is my first time participating so I'm rather excited.

I'm starting with The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda. This thriller novel was sent to my by Simon and Schuster Canada.

I am 40 pages in and I'm already feeling the chills! So happy to get to this one.

When A Book Hits You...

You grab onto it, latch onto it. You’ll keep the book on your bedside table for weeks to come and flip back to your favourite quotes:

“Your now is not forever.”

“To be alive is to be missing.”

Because the words written in the novel touched the deepest parts of your heart and they latched on so tightly, that the entire time you were reading the book, you were holding your breath, afraid of what was to come.

So it was only when you closed the book, when all was said and done, when all you’re staring at a blank page--that’s when the tears flood your face in torrents.

Because all the metaphors and the meanings and the impactful lines punch you in the gut, grab onto your heart, and shake you, telling you: “Hey, this is what life really is.”

These are the best books, ones I’ll never forget. These are the books I’ll start crying for when thinking about.

Turtles All The Way Down.

You’ll be with me forever.

Meet Sarah!

Sometimes she heard night-sounds she didn’t know or jumped from lightning too close, but whenever she stumbled, it was the land who caught her. Until at last, at some unclaimed moment, the heart-pain seeped away like water into sand. Still there, but deep. Kya laid her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and the marsh became her mother.

​-Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing

1. When did you start reading?I have always been drawn to books, but I don't remember really developing the desire to read outside of school-assigned books until I was a junior in high school. That's when I really discovered reading to be an escape from everyday life. I kept seeking out opportunities to be immersed into a whole new world.

2. What inspired you to read?Growing up, my mom almost always had a book in her hands when the weekend rolled around. I loved seeing her read, and I wanted to know what she found so immersive about the books her nose was stuck in. As far as actual experiences go, I remember having to read Bridge to Terabithia in the sixth grade. It was the first time in my life that a book ever made me realize that books can teach me things, make me feel things I would never expect.

3.When did you start book blogging?I started book blogging in January of 2019, so I still feel pretty green in the bookish community.

4. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey, including what started it all?I was beginning to incorporate more of my reading life into my personal Instagram account via posts and stories late last year. After doing it for a while, I thought that maybe I was annoying my friends by talking about books. All. The. Time. So, I decided to make a completely separate account specifically for my books to share what I was reading, my thoughts on those books, and invite anyone who actually cared to give me a follow. I had used the "bookstagram" hashtag, but I didn't realize that Bookstagram was a literal community of readers until I got a few followers all with book-related handles. I started actually scrolling through the hashtag page, amazed at what a vast community of readers there was on Instagram. I was so excited to get to know fellow bookworms, and through this platform I have made so many long lasting friendships.

What started as a silly little page to simply spare my real-life friends and family from my bookish obsession, turned into something incredible. I have just over two-thousand people who are interested in what I have to say about the books I read, the books coming out, mental health, parenthood, just everything. It's been a whirlwind, but it has been so fun, and well worth the time and energy I didn't at first expect to invest into my page.

5. What are some of your favourite books?What a tough question! I have always adored the Harry Potter series. Those were the first books that actually garnered a shared interest between my mom and me. I loved having that connection with her.

More recently, I haven't been able to stop thinking about, and recommending to everyone who asks, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens as well as The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves.

​6. List three bookish facts about you. 1.) In high school, I was annoyingly obsessed with The Hunger Games trilogy. If I could find a way to incorporate the Hunger Games into a conversation, challenge accepted. I even creatively slipped the idea of the plot into a dual-credit essay for my English 1301 class. Not my proudest moment. But what can I say? I was a dedicated fan!

2.) With the exception of Harry Potter and a few select others, I don't read much YA anymore. I am totally invested in historical fiction, women's fiction, and the occasional romance.

3.) I rarely ever take notes when I read a book because I am very experience-driven. I do like to use tabs to mark quotes and scenes I love, though!

7. Where can we find you on social media?You can find me primarily on Instagram at @mamasreadingcorner.

Meet Ana-Maria!

The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are things you get ashamed of, because words make them smaller. When they were in your head they were limitless; but when they come out they seem to be no bigger than normal things. But that's not all. The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried; they are clues that could guide your enemies to a prize they would love to steal. It's hard and painful for you to talk about these things ... and then people just look at you strangely. They haven't understood what you've said at all, or why you almost cried while you were saying it. ― Stephen King, The Body

1. When did you start reading?I started reading when I was in the 7th grade. Before that I couldn't find enough joy in reading because I was forced to read old tales that I didn't really like.

2. What inspired you to read?I guess I don't have a role model, like a person. I was in a supermarket and I saw a beautiful cover, I read the description and I really wanted to read. By that time, my imagination was really high and I imagined a lot of things, and that book series inspired me to keep reading. After that, I took a pause.. you can say, I had no time and probably I wasn't motivate enough to read, but this lasted only one year because after that, my English teacher told me that it would help me a lot to improve my language if I would read in English, so she offered me for Christmas The Great Gatsby and that was the moment when I knew that my true calling is to be a reader.

3. When did you start book blogging? I started my book blogging two years ago non-officially.

4. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey, including what started it all?Well, I can't tell you how it started because you know, it started with work and struggle and frustration and questions like " Why my post is not good enough?". And I was always struggling finding my own style. It was hard since I was new there and I knew nobody, and I've been asking for advice and I remember I asked you too Ryan, and you helped me with this book blogging, telling me that it will be ok, you will find your own style and that I will do good, and here I am. I hate the Instagram spam accounts and the fact that my followers are always flowing because of Instagram's algorithm but..what can we do? We keep posting, we keep working even if we are not payed for this because it's fueled by passion. I always wanted to be a photographer, like a really good one, so this is the first reason why I started this account. And I wanted my photographs to be noticed, but I discovered a lot of people with amazing, gorgeous photos and it made me want more. From myself, from my content. This account also made me wanna read more, made me wanna accept the fact that I am not a club person, I am a book worm and I am proud.

5. What are some of your favourite books? This is really hard...Pfff, I guess you can count my absolute favorite book After the End by Clare Mackintosh. I've just finished reading it yesterday and I burst into tears and I felt shattered into a million pieces. After.. I think It will be her other books: I See You, I Let You Go, Let Me Lie; after that, I will consider IT,Carrie and Misery by Stephen King, all the books from Agnes-Martin Lugand and only these ones come to my mind. As any other reader, I can't choose a favorite one, and probably there are more books that I loved reading them, but I can't remember.

6. List three bookish facts about you. Well.. I mark the quotes I like, I always make jokes about books that nobody understands..because, you know, people. Aaand I can't hurt a book. I will always want to keep my books clean and in a safe place, it doesn't always happen this way, but I dust them really often and I make sure that they are in no danger.

​7. Where can we find you on social media?​You can find me on Instagram ( @martipaan), on Facebook ( Martipaan's Nook) and also on Twitter lately (@AnaMargulescu).

Meet Sam!

I am no bird, and no net ensnares me. I am a free human being with an independent will. - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

​​1. When did you start reading?I started reading ever since I could remember! My Dad would always read stories to me, or tell me stories in general. As soon as I was able to read and discovered the library, I would go there constantly, and stay up all night and spend my days reading. Books like The Princess Diaries, Nancy Drew, ASOUS, and Harry Potter consumed my day!

2. What inspired you to read?I think what inspired me was learning about different people in the world. learning about how everyone's lives are different from one another and it really helped me understand other people and become more empathetic, I think. I think that's why it's important for people to read because it helps you understand all kinds of people. It helps us understand life, and helps us know that we are not alone.

3. When did you start book blogging? I started book blogging in October 2016. Now, I had no idea that there was such a big community when I started! Especially on Instagram! I mainly did it because I was recent graduate, and I missed reading for fun again and wanted to document it. But then I got to thinking and was like, "I love books. I want to do this as a career one day." Hence the book blog started! And it just kind of took off!

4. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey, including what started it all?So initially, I started off on Instagram "@readwithsam" where I would document my reads here and there. Then I started to really enjoy the photography aspect of it as well and kept playing around with my camera and different aesthetics. Then, I started to get into communication with publishers and authors, and I launched my website. I absolutely love it, and again, it's something I'd love to do as a full time career! Now on my blog, www.readwithsam.com, I've interviewed several authors like Fiona Barton, J.T Ellison, Robyn Harding, and others!

5. What are some of your favourite books?You just had to ask this question, didn't you?! I love Harry Potter, of course. A Series of Unfortunate Events, Nancy Drew and Jane Eyre. Recently, I've loved Where The Crawdads Sing, anything by Fiona Barton, The Dreamers...I could seriously go on!!!!

6. List three bookish facts about you. I have interviewed some of my favourite authors!I want to be a writer.I'm an English major from Queen's University!

​Camping Out And Writing

It is that time of year again: CampNaNoWriMo. It’s the smaller version of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) that helps you stay on track with your writing by placing you in cabins with fellow writers to communicate with, and by keeping track of your word count with the daily word tracker. You don’t have to write 50K words in the month of camp, you can make your own goals such as 20K or 30K words.

Why should you participate?

If you’ve been itching to write a book or complete a bookish project, this is a fun way of doing so. From personal experience, it feels like there’s less pressure during camp than during November for NaNoWriMo.

Maybe it’s the word “camp”. Maybe it’s because you’re placed into cabins and make new friends?

I don’t know.

But if you’ve had a novel idea on your mind now is the time to tell your doubts to screw themselves and just write.

Happy writing!

Meet Lizz!

Don't panic. - The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

1. When did you start reading?I started reading when I was very young! I don't remember a lot from when I was a child, but I do have fond memories of books. I remember reading through Robert Munsch books as a little kid, story-times at my local library, and spending recess inside at school to help shelve books and read. I rarely got in trouble for talking in class, but I would get in trouble for reading when I wasn't supposed to. Over the past few years (since I finished my post-grad program), I've started reading a lot more. Finishing school means I have a lot more free time, and a never-ending TBR pile to get through!

2. What inspired you to read? Reading has always been a form of escape for me, so I'm not sure if "inspired" is the right word. It's a way for me to get away from whatever is happening, whether it was school yard bullies, stress from school, or stress from attempting to be a successful adult (whatever that means!). I've always enjoyed reading science fiction and fantasy, because it really takes you away and lets you explore other planets, worlds, and different realities. It's a great escape, and a wonderful way to experience things that you can't in this life. The same can be said for contemporary or non-fiction, too. There's so much out there, and books provide a portal for you to learn and experience through various stories.

3. When did you start book blogging? My original blogging journey started when I was an angsty teen with a Tumblr account (haha!), but my book blogging journey started about five years ago. I had recently finished school, and moved into my first apartment all by myself. I went from having a roommate to being on my own, and was super bored. Of course, I had my books, but I needed another hobby. At the time, I really wanted to learn more about WordPress. That, paired with the fact that I was always reading and giving book recommendations to friends, kicked off my decision to start a book blog. The domain I have right now still has some of those very old posts; I'll admit they are rough! At the time all I wanted to do was use a new platform to talk about books with like-minded people. Today, that's still my main goal. It's hard when you see so many other successful bloggers with thousands of likes and followers, but at the end of the day, we all just want to talk about books. Every time someone messages me about a book, or asks for a recommendation, I remind myself that that's why I have my blog: to share my love of reading and books!

4. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey, including what started it all? I think I answered both #3 and #4 above ... oops!

5. What are some of your favourite books?This question is so hard! I'm glad you asked for favourite books and not one single favourite book! My go-to answer is always the Harry Potter series. I am very much a product of the HP generation. I still remember pre-ordering the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh books, and was still in high school when the Deathly Hallows came out. They very much shaped my youth, and will always have a special place in my heart. Some of my other all-time favourites are: The Great Gatsby, The Outsiders, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I have tattoos relating to all of these! If you asked what my current favourite is, I'd have to say The Grace Year. I just read it on the weekend and am obsessed! It comes out in October 2019 and I can't wait to buy a physical copy!

6. List three bookish facts about you. 1) I have three literary tattoos! 2) I break the spines of all my books (I know, I'm a monster). 3) I volunteer at my local library.

7. Where can we find you on social media? You can find me blogging at literarylizard.com, and sharing photos on Instagram at @literary_lizard. I also tweet at @elizadice, although that's a mix of books and everything else that happens in my life!

Meet Brittney!

There is no friend as loyal as a book. - Ernest Hemingway

1. When did you start reading?​I started reading when I was in 6th grade, actually. I was twelve when I read my first novel. Up until then, I was reading picture books, since my reading level was incredibly low. 6th grade was the first year I had full access to the library, but because I never read, I didn't know where to start! My teacher lent me her copy of the book Everything Is Fine, and I loved it! I read it in two hours, and the next day I started reading Ender's Game. I hadn't realized how amazing reading was, and that school year, I read about 130 books. I've been an avid reader ever since!

2. What inspired you to read?Honestly, I just liked reading. I didn't talk about my books with anyone, I didn't take pictures or post about my books, I just read all the time, about a book or even two a day. I loved being taken away to another world and experiencing things that I would never be able to. All throughout middle school and high school, I lived in the library. I was called the "book nerd", but I could care less because books are what fueled me and inspired me to write books of my own.

3. When did you start book blogging? I started book blogging toward the end of my sophomore year of high school. I really started growing my Bookstagram during the summer between sophomore and junior year.

​4. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey, including what started it all?Well, I'm an author. At the time, I had already published one book, and I was looking at ways to promote it. I started off by posting photos of my book, Forsaken, and posting writing tips. Nothing was working. Then, I posted a photo of Ready Player One, which I was reading at the time, and I got about 3 comments, which blew me away! I thought myself how to book blog, really. I started posting photos of books I was reading and included posts about Forsaken, and I remember selling about 13 books in a week at one point! Then, I found other indie authors and book bloggers, and a community flourished! I grew my platform to about 1,200 followers that summer, and was one of the first book blogging authors, which is pretty neat. I have been consistently posting photos ever since!

5. What are some of your favourite books?Some of my favourite books are Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, Stolen by Lucy Christopher, The Unaltered Series by Lorena Angell, Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, just to name a few! I love self-help books, psychological thrillers, dystopian, and I'm a sucker for romance.

6. List three bookish facts about you. 1. Well, I can read anywhere at any time. At home, of course, but also while walking in shopping malls, eating at a restaurant, on a plane, in a car. Once, I read two entire books within 6 hours on a bus on the way to San Antonio for a Choir Trip. I literally had middle school girls falling over me, and I had no headphones on, listening to they scream wildly the entire time. I don't know how I did it -- I think it's my superpower, to read anywhere. Either that or the books I read are really good!

2. I avoid books that are popular or trendy -- I purposely go to the very back of the bookstore and hunt down hidden gems. Those are usually my favorite books! Whenever I read trendy books, they're usually just okay.

3. I prefer paperbacks always. I like the way they look, feel... hardbacks are too heavy! But, when I do read hardbacks, I take off the dust jackets -- those things are annoying!

4. (I know, I'm cheating) I got to book 5 of Harry Potter and stopped... while the books are entertaining, to a degree, they're just not my kind of book... whoops!

7. Where can we find you on social media?The only platform I actually use is my Instagram - @brittneykristinabooks I have a twitter ( @BrittneyKx ) but hardly use it!I do have a website at www.brittneykristinabooks.com where I upload blog posts once or twice a week!​

Meet Carly!

Stay gold, Pony Boy, stay gold.

1. When did you start reading?I have been reading ever since I was little. I remember my mom would read us a book every night before going to bed. I was always encouraged to choose reading over sitting and watching cartoons, which has benefitted my habits greatly as I got older.

2. What inspired you to read?Being the oldest of four, I never had the opportunity to travel to all the foreign countries that many of my friends went to. Through reading, I can travel to different countries from the comforts of my own home and gain experiences from various genres.

3. When did you start book blogging? I started book blogging about 5 years ago. My anniversary is actually on July 1.

4. Can you tell us a little bit about your blogging journey, including what started it all?My blogging journey has been both an uphill and downhill battle. I started my blog as a way for me to better remember details of books. Being that I read at a rather fast pace, I would often get characters and storylines confused. Looking back on some of my first blog posts, I have greatly improved, in both my content and reviews. But, being a student, it is hard to balance both, and I often neglect my blog for months at a time while I am studying.

5. What are some of your favourite books?Hm, I usually divide this question by genre, as I have so many novels that I could recommend. My two all-time favourites are The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. But, I tend to have a new favourite every month, this month's being Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.

6. List three bookish facts about you. 1. After cataloging my books (for fun), I own 845 books!2. After joining Bookstagram, I have created my own business that revolves around my love for books.3. I am currently writing a YA novel (well, I've been writing for about 6 years now), and one day hopes to have it published.

Advanced Reading 101

Several people have approached me this year via Bookstagram (the book community of Instagram) and asked me how I recieved advanced reader copies of books from publishing houses.

This inspired me to write a blog post, because I feel every passionate and genuine book lover/blogger should know how to approach a publishing house to become an advanced reader.

Here is what there is to it:

It starts with passion.Make sure your heart is genuinely into reading and reviewing books! I’ve seen some people on social media say that they started their blog or account just to get free books, and this pains me. If you’re doing it just to get free product, you won’t get much out of it. You’ll have more fun if your intentions are genuine, and if they are, create a blog or social media account to shout to the world all things books.

Wave hello.Make some friends along the way! Build an audience of fellow book lovers and interact with them. Typically publishing houses like to see profiles with 1K+ followers, but I have also seen some really successful accounts with 600+ followers (and some of these accounts are my favourites). Personally, numbers and following don’t matter to me. The bottom line: have an audience that will communicate with you.

Take to the internet.Research which publishing houses you’d like to review for and see what kind of books they publish. You don’t want to contact every publisher you find, make sure their books suit your reading interests. Make a list of the ones you like.

Time to say hi again.When researching publishing companies, they usually have an area for contacting, and more specifically, they usually have an email for reviewers and publicity. Make sure to write these emails down so you can reach out.

But before reaching out:Make sure you draft a pitch letter that is versatile for all companies. Explain who you are, your experience, your following and where you post, and then explain why you’d be a great book reviewer for their company.

Double check.Go over the draft and see if it’s to your liking. Check for spelling and grammar errors, then send away!

Do your thing while you wait.Continue to read and blog while you wait for a response, or whatever it is you do. It can take one to two weeks to hear back from some companies, while you’ll hear back from others the next day. I’ve never had a company not respond, but if this happens feel free to send a follow up email or contact more publishers.

*ALL YOUR EFFORTS SHOULD STEM FROM YOUR LOVE OF BOOKS, NOT TO GET “FREE BOOKS.”*

If your intentions are good, you will succeed. I wish you the best of luck. I can’t wait to see what books you get sent!

My Reading Goals for 2019

​(This blog post is inspired by one of my favourite Bookstagrammers, @acouplereads)

​Even though I have been book blogging and reviewing for almost three years, I have yet to make any reading goals for myself. When I saw Milana’s (@acouplereads) blog I told myself I should do the same thing to better my reading come 2019. So I devised a list:

1. Try to read one classic per month.

I like to read classics as these novels and their authors are the roots of literature. I’d like to try and incorporate them more into my monthly TBRs. If there are a couple months where I’m just not feeling a classic read then I won’t push it.

​2. Read more books of my choice.

This may be one of my most important goals--reading books soley of my choice. These are books I bought in stores because I found interest in them and want to read them. This often doesn’t happen because of the priority of author books and ARCs.

3. Finish my indie author books.

By the end of 2019 I wish to have not a single indie author book left on my TBR bookcase. I want to read them all and will try to add one per month to my TBR.

4. Read old 2018 ARCs.

This time last year I was drowning in journalism and my schedule barely gave me time to read, so I have two piles of untouched 2018 ARCs. My goal is to decrease the size of these piles by reading through them.

5. Use my Kobo more.

I am a sucker for physical books and that’s just how I am, but come 2019, I want to try and read more ebooks!

These are my reading goals for 2019. Feel free to incorporate my goals into your reading life and create your own as well.

How To Rock Your NaNoWriMo Experience

We've all got a story on our chest, it's about time we write one. - Ryan Jones

​It’s finally that time of year where numerous posts about this weird thing called NaNoWriMo flood social media; people writing posts about how unprepared they are for this NaNoWriMo thing and how scared they are to participate.

What is this weird word that starts with an N?

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and is an annual event for writers that happens in November, lasting all month. The goal for every writer by the end of the month is to have 50K words of a novel written. It’s super-powered novelling.

Along the way, you can add and make friends, send messages to people, and the NaNoWriMo organization even slides in the favour of sending a pep talk from an experienced writer every week.

This can be daunting and scary to some but it doesn’t have to be! Here’s how to have fun in some simple and easy steps.

1. Decide if you're a pantster or plotter. This is essential, as determining your writing personality will also determine your success.

If you are a plotter, I suggest you chart the plot and characters a month to two weeks in advance so you don’t feel rushed when November 1st comes around.

If you’re a pantster, like me, sit back and relax until the end of October. Last year I wrote my prologue on the last day of October so that I had a good idea of where I’d take the story the next day. If you don’t have a prologue, you can start with the first chapter. And if you want to do neither and completely start from scratch, feel free to do so as well.

2. Section off a time and place.

When I did NaNoWriMo in 2017, Ontario Colleges were on strike so this was pretty flexible for me as I only had to work my writing around my part-time job and not school as well.

But if you are in the boat of juggling work and school, pick a specific time of day of when you are most free to sit down and write, whether it be the morning, afternoon, evening or midnight. We’re all mad here.

It’s also important to make sure you flock to the same place. I usually write at my kitchen table or my desk in the basement. As soon as I sit in these areas my brain knows it’s writing time, so choose a spot where you can do the same thing.

3. Mode of transport.

I give credit to all those writers who can write by pencil and paper because I cannot do this for NaNoWriMo, especially when you’re punching out so many words so quickly.

How your transfer your words into a book is super important. If writing by hand can’t keep up with your thought process then don’t do it. Use a keyboard, a laptop. Find what works for you.

4. Stay fuelled.The only thing I lived off of in November 2017 was coffee. DON’T DO THIS. Stay healthily fuelled with water, fruits and veggies, good meals that give you lots of energy. You’re brain is working on overtime, burning calories, so it’s essential these calories are replenished.

If you follow and use these four simple steps and tricks I guarantee NaNoWriMo will become less scary than you expect.

You’re all writing rockstars. Take out your pens, notepads and keyboards and strike a chord.

Something All Writers Should Do

Reading Like a Writer: A Guide For People Who Love Books and For Those Who Want To Write Them by Francine Prose, is the novel that inspired this blog post.

One thing all writers should do, whether they’re professional or amatuer, is read about writing.

I have drawn this conclusion from my own read-through of Francine Prose’s Reading Like a Writer: A Guide For People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want To Write Them.

I’m not saying people need to read this particular book, as many writers and readers seem drawn to On Writing by Stephen King or other writing novels, but I believe writers should read at least one book of the like in their lifetime.

But why? Why would I say this? Why would I encourage writers to read about something they already eat, breathe and sleep?

Because as a fellow writer I gained so much. Here are some things I’ve learned from reading about writing:

New PerspectiveWe all have an idea about writing and we all like to think we know everything there is about the act of stringing words together on a page, but the harsh truth is that we don’t. No writer knows everything about writing.

Reading about an author or writer’s different opinion on format, narration or characters encourages us to open our minds even a bit wider, to see things from their position, giving us a new perspective on writing.

Classic Inspiration There is a reason why Jane Austen and Charles Dickens are such prominent authors in the literary world and subject topics in books about writing; they are the first buds of inspiration, as are other authors of that era.

By reading about writing, writers are able to study author’s works such as these to analyze their writing and why they wrote that way. From here, writers can then use their techniques and apply it to their own works.

Going back in time to study classic authors gives us the opportunity to cultivate traditional techniques.

Analyze and Observe I’m sure many writers read for pleasure, but do you ever take the time to read between the lines? Do you ever question why the author decided to separate certain paragraphs or place a comma in a specific place?

It’s this type of thought process that is essential for a writer to grow in talent. By asking these questions you observe the author’s writing and take in their style, incorporating theirs into your own.

From reading about writing I am now open to new perspectives and accept them as my own, I appreciate the classic roots of writing and I am more analytical and observant while reading.

Be the best writer you can be. Pick up a book and immerse yourself.

Book Spines and Healthy Minds

To-do lists, jobs, finances and relationships.

We all live busy lives, some of us busier in different facets than others. In our weekly go-go-go routines it’s essential to remember to take a break -- to kick back and relax.

Steep some tea.Brew some coffee. Throw on the baggiest, comfiest clothes you can find and just sit or lay down, with a book.

This is what I do.

Aside from yoga, to ease my anxious mind, I read. Reading allows my mind to escape reality only to slip into other realities, ones that aren’t my own; fairytale kingdom and crime cities. I’m able to meet new people and explore their lives, all while my own life is set on the backburner.

It’s this act -- putting my pot on a back burner -- that relieves my mind of stress. Even if it’s just 30 minutes a day, though I usually aim for longer, I know I’ll catch some reprieve and my mind will be able to relax while at the same time becoming stimulated through writing and creative words.

If you don’t feel like working out, if you don’t feel up to a yoga practice or a run, if your mind is being mean to yourself and places unnecessary thoughts in your mind… then read.

An open book is a gateway to an open mind, free of worry.

My Stumbleupon Salinger

With my rightful faerie sword, I’m going to portal this blog post back two years, landing myself, or rather seating myself, in a desk in my Grade 12 university English classroom.

Just kidding.

I don’t have a faerie sword. And I’m not a witch or a mythical creature, but one can wish.

Grade 12 English is where I stumbled upon J.D. Salinger. In case you didn’t take English, there is a short story unit where authors and their short works of fiction are studied. Most of the analyzing comes from literary devices such as symbolism and metaphors hidden in the story.

For this unit we studied several authors, but J.D. Salinger stood out to me the most. His writing surrounds the time frame of the 1940s all the way to the 1960s and contains a classic feel, which some (the majority of my class) may not like. Of course I was different, and immersed myself in his history and his stories.

My teacher taught us that Salinger often wrote about mentally unstable soldiers who returned from war, as he himself enrolled as a soldier in the 1940s. This was around the time of World War II. His experience in war inspired his short stories such asA Perfect Day for Bananafish, published in his collection of Nine Storiesaround 1953. In my research I did not find the exact year he returned from war, but it was before his short stories were published.

I find it fascinating that Salinger was able to tell people his story and give people a taste of what war was like, both battle experiences and the mental aftermath. It mustn’t have been easy to admit he didn’t come back with all of his “faculties”, but nonetheless he creates beautiful works of literature.

I’m forever grateful for my teacher bringing Salinger into the classroom through reading his short stories A Perfect Day for Bananafish and For Esme -- With Love and Squalor. It has taught me insight. I believe many people may not appreciate his works because they don’t know where he comes from as a person and they don’t take the time to learn his background. But history is key if you want to find a special kind of beauty in his stories.

Personally, I read his stories to find hidden lessons. I read his stories as a sense of refreshment because it’s always nice to read a different writing style.

But…

I also read his stories to portal me back in time, where I’m sitting in a skirt and buttoned shirt, book open, listening to someone read his story to me from a cassette in the radio, where it’s just me and the book and the classroom fading away.

I read his stories to bring me back to my roots, to where it all started, my love for J.D. Salinger.

Grade 12 16-year-old book-loving me.

My Top Read for May

It still surprises me that today is May 31 and that tomorrow is the first day of another month. We are already halfway through 2018 guys! This is crazy to me. In 31 days I read a total of five books:

Of course, one book must be chosen as a favourite for the month. ​My favourite May read is...

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware.

​Last year around this time I had the opportunity to read her second most recent novel, The Lying Game, sent to me by Simon and Schuster Canada. The Lying Game was quite enticing, but I've seen much growth in Ware's writing from one book to the next. I feel as though Ware is a writer who gets better with each book published.

My review for The Death of Mrs. Westaway will be published, Saturday, June 2.

Make sure you pick up a copy if you like mystery/thriller novels.

Creating Monthly TBRs

These are book examples that I would choose for my TBR. From right to left, Defy The Worlds would be my own choice, Pittsburgh to Cadiz would be my author choice and Broken Beautiful Hearts would be my publishing house choice. (Photo by Ryan Jones)

Before we begin, you should know what TBR stands for. TBR is a bookworm acronym for to be read. Many people have giant, accumulative lists of yearly to be reads while others formulate monthly ones to keep them on track with reading. To put it simply, it’s an ever-growing pile or list of books someone wants to read.

I am an avid maker of monthly TBR lists during the school year because it’s a helpful tool to keep me on track. I choose three to four books I need to read for the month and highlight in my calendar when I should have the review written by, meaning the book should be complete as well.

During the summer I tend to not use monthly TBRs because I have more freedom to choose what I want to read without the weight of surrounding school assignments.

But how does one choose which books to read each month?

It’s stressful and fun all at the same time, because naturally, a bookworm wants to read every unread book on their shelf. I am of course one of these bookworms.

My process for choosing a list is like a three layer cake.

Layer One - Publisher Books

I start by scoping my shelves for which books I need to get to first that were sent to me from publishing houses.

Layer Two - Author Books

I then scan my shelves for books I need to read sent to me by authors. For the choice of both publication and author books, I have to be in the mood for the genre that month, I don’t just choose because they have to be read and reviewed.

Layer Three - My Choice

I then choose a book or two of my choice that I really want to read to make this pastime the fun it is and should be.

No matter your layering, no matter if you have publication books, author books or your own choices, you TBR list should vibe with you and your reading needs.

After all…

A TBR stack says a lot about a person.

Favourite April Read

This blog post has been a long time coming.

That’s probably because it’s been a long timg getting through my April TBR.

But alas, I have read all seven books for this month, one I’m currently reading. Half-way through.

It’s been a great reading month. I read For Everyone by Jason Reynolds sent to me by Simon and Schuster Canada, the ebook version ofHoney Buttersent to me by author Millie Florence, When Will There Be Good News?by Kate Atkinson, a reread of A Beautiful Composition of Broken by r. h. Sin, Peter sent to me by author Daniel Dismuke, What I Leave Behind by Alison McGheey sent to me by Simon and Schuster Canada and my current read, A Map of Salt and Stars by Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar, also sent to me by Simon and Schuster Canada.

If you think that was a mouthful to read, imagine how it felt to type.

I’ve read many books, but one must come out on top.

The book that sits at the top of the pyramid is…

A Map of Salt and Stars.

Even though I’m only half way through, it’s all I need to read to know this book will receive five stars. The writing is ridiculously beautiful, full of metaphors and symbolism and the way Joukhadar paints her characters makes the reader feel as if they are in the book next to them.

Let’s see what May will bring!

Productivity

What is it?

According to dictionary.com it is "the quality, state, or the fact of being able to generate, create, enhance, or bring forth goods and services."

People often associate these goods and services with homework and assignment completion. Others with getting chores done around the house. And for book bloggers, writing reviews and taking book photos.

Every person has their own products of productivity - that's the great thing about personality.

But what are the best ways to be productive and get things done?

People

Surrounding yourself with the right people of the right mindset is important. I say this with past experience in mind.

If you talk to someone on a daily basis who has no passion for what they do and complains about everything, this will put a weight on your motivation.

But if you surround yourself with people who find the best of every situation, who love what they do and strive for greatness it's contagious. You'll grow and incorporate their traits into your work ethic. My colleagues Alyssa Leonard, Angelica Haggert and Alyssa Horrobin inspire me every day to become a better journalist and have my back when I get down on myself.

Shoutout to these wonderful ladies for helping me form a healthy mindset.

Environment

Being productive and completing tasks requires focus, so make sure you situate yourself in an area void of distraction. If you're a people-watcher and get distracted by noise, don't work in a public place. Also, for those of you who are bothered by noise, try some noise-cancelling headphones. They work as a great barrier for people's voices and clanking dishes.

In contrast, some people actually work better around the presence of other humans.

Know your needs and cater to them.

Fuel

According to fitday.com, a person burns 46 calories per hour while doing homework.

46!

That's 46 calories lost if you don't have food and a drink next to you while working on an assignment or task. This may not seem like a daunting number but in two hours you lose 92, in three hours 138 and in four hours 184.

When you look at it, a lot of energy is lost - energy that could have been used to complete tasks.

Steep some tea.

Brew some coffee.

Make some oatmeal.

Or have a plate of cookies sitting beside you.

Sustenance is important for brain function and prime brain function is key for being productive.

Sticky Notes

Organization also helps when it come to being productive.

If you know me, I am a consistent user of to-do lists and have even gotten my friends into using them. I like to make mine on square sticky notes because I can stick them to any surface, they're portable and come in fun colours.

My rule of thumb is if the list can't fit on a small/medium sized sticky note, it'll be ineffective because there are too many things "to do." It will become overwhelming and you'll actually become discouraged due to the abundance of tasks written down that you have yet to cross off.

Don't make more work for yourself when it isn't needed.

Breaktime

Everyone needs a break.

Whether it be every 30 minutes or an hour, the human brain needs time to get away from a computer screen and lined paper. You need to allow your body time to breathe and relax so it can recuperate.

You can also award yourself during these breaks, such as stealing a cookie from the plate next to you.

I hope these tips and tricks help. These are all from experience and they work. I've been told I'm a very productive person and I've taken time to sit back, to think about what makes being productive easier for me.

Lo and behold this blog post.

Read this as many times as you wish and come back to it any time when you need a little reminder of how to be your best productive self.

Book Care Transition

My outlook on book care has changed within the last year.

First off, you should know what book care means to me.

To me, book care is making sure the physical copy of a book is intact and safe: no bent corners, no finger smudges on the cover, no dog ears in the pages, no coffee stains, etc.

I used to be a nazi about this thanks to my OCD, until I interviewed BookTuber Hailey LeBlanc (@haileyinbookland) for a feature profile back in November 2017.

I asked her how she takes care of her books and she said she really doesn't. She said bent corners and marks don't bug her because it means the book has been used, worn and loved.

After getting out of my seat and sharing conversation with her at Tim Hortons, I let the interview soak through. On my way back to school I processed her answers and the words she said, most I still remember today.

I payed extra attention to what she said about book care though, because the way I used to worry about books would cause me unnecessary anxiety.

So?

I tried not worrying and not caring as much. It no longer bothers me if the cover corners get bent or if a splash of coffee covers a portion of the page. However, I will not stand for dog ears - EVER. My friend Angelica, @talesonthetrain on Instagram, feels differently about this matter.

With my book care transition my levels of anxiety have decreased but my friend Alyssa finds the way I treat my paperback books abhorrent. I guess frayed corners aren't her thing, but I always assure her it's a sign of love and use.

No matter how you take care of your books, the story inside and what you take away from it are what matter most.

April Showers

​When planning this blog post I thought it was relevant as the month of April is upon us. But yesterday morning when I wrote this, Friday, April 6, there was snow on the ground. No rain, just a blanket of white powder and puffs of my breath forming clouds in the air.

Regardless, I’m going to stick with the theme of my headline - books that have made me cry.

Below are tear-jerker books. Take a gander. Maybe you’ll find your next read or add some books to your wishlist.

The Thing About Hype...

​If there is one thing I’ve learned with reading it’s to not fall for book hype. Unfortunately, out of my two-year blogging and reading experience it took me the second year to discover this.

Book hype is a term formed from people’s excitement over a new book that they’ve heard good things about it or has a pretty cover (come on, we all look at covers.)

It’s a ripple effect.

A person often expresses their excitement through posts and pictures on social media, which other bloggers see and take note of. When people see this person’s post promoting this new book they will be encouraged to buy it themselves. When a person purchases the novel they then make their own post about the book which persuades someone else to buy the book.

I have fallen for hype quite a few times.

One of the first books I fell for was Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us.Everyone always talked about CoHo and I wanted to know what the big deal was about.

Fortunately, this book rocked, five stars.

Unfortunately, some flop.

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones was released February 7, 2017. Lots of bloggers took a liking to S. Jae-Jones and her book - countless photos and posts, so, naturally, I picked up a copy.

In January of 2018 I received Shadowsong, Wintersong’s predecessor. This gave me incentive to add Wintersong to my January TBR. I rated this book two stars. I will attach a link to my review below so you can discover my sentiments, thoughts and why it received this rating. It was not a good book.

Period.

Lesson learned, I will no longer fall for hype and its tricks, even if I see countless photos of the same book covering my Bookstagram feed. I now go to Indigo and Goodreads to check out ratings and reviews from other people. This helps me decide if the book is really worth my time.

Falling for hype is like gambling. You either win or you lose.

I’ve decided I will no longer lose but be the controller of my own money.

Fan Girl Moment

On Wednesday, March 14 at 10:54 a.m. I woke up to the grandest news.

*Squeals at the top of her lungs.*

LAUREN OLIVER IS RELEASING A NEW BOOK OCTOBER 2. WHAAAAAT!

Her new book is a psychological thriller called Broken Things. This is really interesting to me because the vast majority of books Oliver has written are dystopia. Her Delirium trilogy made me fall in love with her writing. The switching of genres is a nice change but no one else can write dystopia like Oliver.

You can bet your bottom dollar I went to Indigo's online store to see if I could pre-order it yet, but not a chance. It's too early. But in a bookworm's world is it really too early?

Never.

I am so incredibly excited my favourite author is releasing a new book.

Absolutely pumped!

Lending Books

Lending people books is a tricky thing for me.

I don't want to be one of those people who keeps all their books to themselves - I have gotten a lot better with this - but at the same time I have strict standards.

First, I watch how a person takes care of their books. If their care meets my standards I will let them borrow books. My standards are simple:

1) Don't slam the book down on a table.

2) DO NOT dog ear. I will kill you.

3) Do not eat while reading the book, the pages could get dirty.

4) Do not used it as a placemat, meaning don't place cups or plates on top of it. This is directed to my sister Taylor. The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney sat on her bedside table for such a long time along with a coffee mug and a plate with crumbs on top of it. Needless to say I adopted the baby, took it in as one of my own and it holds its own place on my shelf.

5) It's not a bathroom companion. This is directed to my dad who likes to read while going to the bathroom. GERMS. THEY'RE NOT OKAY. Especially with books.

​If I believe people can meet these five simple rules then I allow them possession of my novels. My friend Alyssa currently has The Five People You Meet in Heaven and Unfu*k Yourself, and I just lent The Cruel Prince to my friend Alysha. I know they treat me books with utmost care.

Kinda ties into the Golden Rule: do on to others as they'd do onto you.

Books are people too.

​If you don't want someone to fold your ear, then don't do it to a book.

My Favourite February Read

In my recent February wrap-up blog, I promised disclosure of my favourite book for the month. When choosing my favourite book of the month it’s not necessarily based off my rating - it’s based off characters, writing, plot twists and development, settings, memorable beginnings and endings. In short, it’s a book I know I’ll take with me for the rest of the year, and sometimes, the rest of my life. This book is one I will carry with me for a lifetime. And that book is…Looking for Alaska by John Green. It taught me life lessons and altered my way of thinking. Quite often I find myself reciting quotes through writing and speaking to my friends and they stare at me with looks of incredulity, those who haven’t read the book that is. Go read this book and may it stay with you for a lifetime.

February Wrap Up (2018)

Compared to the eight books I read in January, February wasn’t as successful and I ended the month with four books. I slotted time to read three books so reading one more feels great. I knew February would be a bustling month for school so I didn’t want to overwhelm myself.

Nonetheless, February was a great reading month. It started out a bit shaky. Let me tell you more. I linked my reviews beside each wrap-up summary.

The first book I read was Wintersong by S. Jae Jones and I rated it 2 out of 5 stars. Was not a fan. You can read my review if you so wish.

The next book I read was its counterpart, Shadowsong, which turned out to be much better due to a different publishing company. I rated it 4 out of 5 stars.

I then fancied myself to a John Green read, Looking for Alaska, which was beautiful all the way around, in every aspect. 5 stars.

I also read my first ever graphic novel. My friend let me borrow Beauty and the Beast Act One by Megan Kearney who is a local author in Ontario. It was a growing experience -- one I wish to partake in again. I rated it 4 stars. ​

BUT. Which novel was my favourite February read? Find out in my blog post, Saturday, March 3. Look forward to seeing you there.

Tips for Writing Focus

A friend and I were talking recently (he’s a colleague in the journalism program with me at college) and he said he’d like pursue more creative writing, but he has trouble focusing. After he said this I said, “Well, there’s a blog post idea.” Offered below are tips for writers who have trouble cultivating focus. These tips may not work for all but I hope you find them helpful nonetheless.

Fuel I am a firm believer that no one should write on an empty stomach. Nutrients and minerals from food give your mind the energy it needs to write and I find that eating on an empty stomach is distracting because the connotation resonates at the back of your mind, “Hey I’m hungry, hey I’m hungry.” You want your focus to be on the task at hand, not in the depths of your stomach.

What I also mean by fuel is…drinks. Everyone has a motivating drink whether it be coffee (my personal favourite), tea, water, iced tea, chocolate milk (I still order this in restaurants and I’m 19), or hot chocolate. Whatever elixir puts you at ease make sure you have a cup of it by your side when writing.

​Atmosphere This may be the biggest influencer of all. Atmospheres come in many shapes and sizes with many different people and sounds, but make sure you choose the one that is right for you.

Personally, I can plop my butt down in a chair at Starbucks, have the music playing in the background, have chatter milling around me, and I can still focus on my hands, the keyboard and my thoughts. I occasionally glance up on breaks to people watch, sometimes finding character inspiration.

This wasn’t always so though. There was a time where I needed absolute silence to even create one word.

Know you who are and cater to your needs of a quiet or bustling atmosphere.

Break Time Contrary to what some people think, it is okay to take breaks, in fact, I encourage them — in moderation of course. It doesn’t make sense to take one every five minutes, you won’t get anything done.

Of course there are days where I can spend close to five hours sitting at my laptop chipping away at one of my works, but I recommend 30-minute intervals. Set timers if this helps but not on your phone because this will be in another room. I often flock to my kitchen table so I’ll set an oven timer.

Write for 30 minutes. Get up. Pet your cat, your dog, top off your coffee, listen to a song, go to the washroom, put on some chapstick. Anything that will alleviate your mind for a few minutes, you don’t want to burn out. When done, go back to your writing area and continue.

Method to Your MadnessWriters usually have two options of executing the written word in documentation: physically writing or typing. Make sure you know which one works best for you because this is a key factor in your ability to cultivate focus.

For example, I cannot, for the life of me, write on paper. My thoughts are too fast for my cursive writing. When I have tried it my focus wasn’t as pristine as it could have been because I was making sure my hand was keeping up with my thoughts. I don’t have this distraction with typing.

​Disconnect This applies to both pen-and-paper and laptop users.

Laptop people. Turn off the dang wifi and focus on your page. If you use Word or Pages this is actually better because you don’t have the temptation of opening internet tabs. Google Docs users, since you need internet to use this, train yourself to focus solely on your document. I know there’s YouTube and Instagram and Netflix but slap your mind’s hand and say, “No.” Be terse.

Most of all.

Put your phone in another room on silent. The virtual world will survive without your presence, I promise you this. And if your parents or friends get flustered from your lack of response shoot them a text saying I’ll be busy for the next hour or two.

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I will leave you with my most essential piece of advice: if you don’t feel like writing on a certain day — don’t. Don’t ever force yourself to write or do something you don’t feel like doing. It’s not fair to yourself because you want to produce the best possible work you can. I know I’ve said that writing a little bit each day is an adequate technique to develop, but don’t ever force it.

The written word is precious, especially coming from you — the creator.

​ The writer.

What The 'F'?

In honour of February, I have decided to feature books starting with the letter 'F' that I have read or want to read. Take a gander, maybe you'll find a new read.

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Fifty Shades Trilogy by E.L. James

People's negative opinions and thoughts surrounding this trilogy will never sway my love for these books. I can assure you that the story isn't all about sex, which is what a lot of people assume and many of those people haven't even read the series, which really frustrates me. Don't pass judgement unless you've read the content.

The story pyramids in these books are extraordinary. The storyline is one of captivation which includes romance, humour, drama, action, thrills. This series truly has it all and I couldn't put it down.

​​Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Despite all the rave over the talent that is Rainbow Rowell I have not read any of this author's works, though I've heard ,any a good things about this read. Then again it's always important to not fall into the hype train because you could end up disappointed. I'm not jumping to buy this book as my next purchase, but in months to come I'd like to give it a try.

Forever... by Judy Bloom

Growing up, I'd go to the library an awful lot and Judy Bloom was one of my go-to authors. I loved her so much that I remember my mom would bring home her books with her for me to read. I still have all the books like Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, Blubber and Starring Sally J. Freeman as Herself.

These books added light and colour to my tween years and I'll always be thankful for Judy Bloom and her writing.

I remember signing out this book, Forever... from the library but I don't remember finishing the entire book so I'd really like to get around to that.

​The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

I have only completed one book by John Green and that is Paper Towns which I love! I have read bits and pieces of The Fault in Our Stars because the copy I have originally belonged to my sister. But now that it's in my possession I hope to get to it in the summer.

A Remembered Reading Buddy

​I will always remember February 8, 2018, as one of the most difficult days of my life, if not, the most difficult day.

Thirteen years of puppy love, best friendship and sisterhood came to a close when my family and I had to put our german shepherd black lab mix, Cocoa, down. Despite the hole that’s been left in my chest and in my life, my heart still beats for her.

She watched me grow from chubby grade school Ryan, to an awkward high school teenager, to a confident college student, and for these years I’ll be forever grateful.

I want to make a tribute for her on my blog because she covers such a vast expanse in my heart, from listening to me sing and play the keyboard, to sitting by me when jotting down copious study notes.

But the thing I miss most is our late-night reading dates.

For the last couple of months I’d camp out in the living room at night with a book, a blanket and a cup of coffee. Cocoa would always lay next me and I’d spend hours just sitting there and reading. Sometimes she’d switch positions, but no matter what her black shadow always clogged my peripheral vision — a comfort.

I miss her presence.

I miss seeing her black fur when I look up and turn a page.

I miss hearing her sleepy breaths and deep sighs.

I miss my reading buddy…

and I hope heaven is treating her right.

​

Why the Writing Prompt?

I'm not going to lie.

At first I didn't really see what was special about writing prompts or why people would do them, although, this was a point in my life where writing was more of a fun pastime than passion. Thank you journalism for making me expand my love of writing! I picked up 500 Writing Prompts from Chapters at the end of 2017 and, come 2018, have started to write in it almost every single day.

Here are 3 reasons why you should venture into the world of writing prompts.

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1. Stimulative Exercise

As a person who is almost 50 per cent left-brained and 50 per cent right-brained, my logical and creative sides are in a constant battle every day.

For those of you who don't know, the left side of your brain is home to practical thoughts and the right side of your brain stores all your creative powers.

I section off some time at the end of each day, coffee in hand, to sit down and spend some quality time with this big red book. As soon as my butt hits the chair I shut everything out: the going-on's of the day, to-do lists and my thoughts. Doing writing prompts gives me the ability to shut off the left half of my brain and let the right side run rabid.

Not only is this an exercise for my brain but it also builds upon my creative writing skills. Some prompts are rather wacky.

2. Consistency is Key

One of a writer's greatest enemies is life. What I mean by this is the time consumed due to other priorities other than writing. While I'm at work all I can think about it writing. When I'm at school, even though I'm writing an article, working on my book is still in the back of my mind. Sometimes school and work get into the way and we feel as though we don't have time to write, and sometimes this is true.

At the end of the day I'm exhausted from schoolwork and assignments and I usually wouldn't bother with writing, but having this book of writing prompts helps me to write everyday, even if it's something small.

All writers should know that even if you only write one sentence a day, it's better than nothing at all.

3. Meditation

I briefly touched upon this in my first reason, but let's really get into it.

Doing writing prompts is like doing yoga. In yoga you meditate. You forget all that happened in the day, you leave your to-do lists and stresses behind, and you conjure all your focus to be with you in the present moment.

In a way I would like to call writing prompts yoga for the mind because you are forcing yourself to push away the outside world so that you may become fully endorsed in your writing. Cultivating this focus is a difficult feat, but if you can do it, your writing will benefit.

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I hope you find insight and inspiration through these reasons I have mentioned. Maybe you'll find yourself picking up a book of writing prompts, when you do, let me know.

I'm always up for a good chat.

Be My Valentine

Valentine’s Day is one of those unofficial holidays that some love and some despise.

Whatever your reasoning, whether you have a Valentine or not, I’m going to spruce up this month by featuring some books you should snuggle up with.

First off, I have already read this book, but if I had time I would definitely re-read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. The writing and the storyline are both wonderful and fitting for the month of February.

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​I would then move onto After You by Jojo Moyes. I have been hesitant to read this book because I loved Me Before You so much and I don’t want the second book to ruin its reputation for me. I haven’t heard as many great reviews about it compared to its counterpart.

​Alright. One of my favourite Nicholas Sparks books is The Longest Ride. They did an excellent job in depicting the film as close as possible to the book. I admire Spark’s writing, the storyline and the element of flashbacks. Also, the love interest isn’t too cheesy. See for yourself.

​And who doesn’t love a little poetry? Poets have been expressing connotations of love since the 1800s through the written word — Robert Frost, Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, to name a few. But how about R.H. Sin? I you haven’t read A Beautiful Composition of Broken then I don’t know why you’re reading this blog post. Go on your most convenient book-buying site and get yourself a copy of this book.

​Walt Whitman - Beautiful Women Women sit, or move to and fro — some old, some young;The young are beautiful — but the old are more beautiful than they young.

Two Years and Counting

It was two years ago, January 21, 2016, when I decided that I wanted to become a book blogger. I didn’t know where it would take me. I simply endorsed myself into the community for my love of books, literature and writing.

It is now January 26, 2018. My book blogging journey has been nothing but an uphill climb. Underline the word climb. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but more of a traverse. An adventure.

My first initial (and still predominant) platform was Instagram. Contrary to popular belief, I did not start out as Biblio Virgo but tested out a multitude of user names. I believe my first one was open_book. I’m currently shaking my head at its obscenity and simplicity. It doesn’t describe me one bit. My first post was a review for Shattered by Terri Terry. I remember that I used an Instagram filter and didn’t edit the photo. I did not have a planned theme.

When I kept posting more and making myself known in social media I switched my background to a white blanket because that’s what I saw on the majority of accounts. I wanted to blend in and conform, because that’s what everyone else was doing.

Little did I know.

I wasn’t satisfied with my username and changed it up frequently until I combined my love of books with my passion for zodiac signs, thus creating Biblio Virgo. Yes, I am a Virgo.

The likes increased, the following increased. By Easter I was at 600 followers which was more than I expected to achieve. I then decided to create a website for my content as well. I mainly posted reviews, not blog posts such as this. I first started with WordPress which I hated. Don’t use WordPress. It’s much too difficult to use and lacks creative freedom. I had this website all the way to 2017.

By the summer I think I hit the 1000 follower mark. I went into 2017 with around 3000 and I am now 300 followers away from 7000. Even typing this out my mind cannot compute.

As I grew in content, social media presence and as a person I decided it was time to expand. I tried Goodreads and couldn’t get into it. I then created and moved my website to another website builder that offered me more creative expression and I then purchased my own domain: www.bibliovirgo.com. My average views used to be 80-100 per week. Just this past week I was close to 1000 views per week. Again. Absolutely insane and my brain can’t process your support for me. I used to just post reviews but now I also produce blog posts, author interviews, poetry and such.

I then made an account on Facebook and Twitter for Biblio Virgo, as well as BookTube which I’ve been curating more content for as of late. I only have 46 subscribers and usually receive around 80 views but it doesn’t bug me, I have so much fun doing it.

As I grew I also found myself. I found that it was okay to not conform to the common white-sheet-theme. I was never happy with it and at the end of 2017 I switched to warm brown tones. I’ve stuck with this ever since. It expresses who I am by giving off a warm and cozy vibe.

Two years has done wonders. Of course, I was expecting change. But now, sitting back and looking at my growth it warms my heart and it makes me emotional to see how far I’ve come because I’ve put my whole heart into blogging. No matter how old I grow I’ll never stop, I love it too much.

Blogger at heart forever.

My Anticipated Reads for 2018

Don't worry. This will not be an extensive post listing book after book after book after book that I would like to read in 2018 because you and I both know that we don't have the time or the attention span for that, after all that would amount to 20 plus books. I have narrowed my excited reads for 2018 down to a top three. Let's see what those are.

Shadowsong by S. Jae JonesThis book will be released in February and is the sister novel to Wintersong. I have yet to read both of these novels but will be reading them back-toback in February because Raincoast publishing has sent me an ARC of Shadowsong.

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay KristoffThis YA sci-fi novel will be released March 13th. This is the third book of the Illuminae Files which has been a huge success in the world of literature and Bookstagram community. I have yet to read Gemini but I rated Illuminae 5 stars.

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. MaasThis YA Fantasy novel will be released in May. This is the fourth novel of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. I had just recently purchased the first three books of the series back in December and will plan to read the series in its entirety once this book comes out.

And there you have it folks, my most anticipated reads for 2018. Feel free to contact me letting me know what yours are.

December Wrap Up

Despite the common stresses of school and working a part time job, December was actually a great reading month for me. I read a total of five books. I know right?! Usually with school and work I complete three at the max, but I pushed myself to my limits. After all, my 2018 bookish New Years resolution is to read more.

Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan I purchased this YA fiction novel from Chapters Indigo.

the sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur I purchased this book of poetry from Chapters Indigo. When you are done reading my December Haul head on over to my 'Reviews' page and check out my 5-star review.

Turtles All The Way Down by John GreeneI purchased this YA fiction from Chapters Indigo. There was mad hype over this book so I hope my expectations aren't let down.

Traitor by Jonathon de Shalit This thriller/mystery/suspense novel was sent to me by Simon and Schuster Canada.

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There you have it ladies and gents. All 14 books are accounted for. Feel free to check out any of the novels above for yourself. Happy reading!

Novel Written in 2 Months - a NaNoWriMo Journey ​By Biblio Virgo

When Ontario Colleges went on strike around the end of October and the beginning of November, 2017, I never would have thought that the stoppage of my education would turn into something miraculous. Even though I wasn’t able to go to school, I was able to work on my passion — writing.

This is a special post for me so I want to get it right. Before I knew the strike was set in stone I was milling over the idea of participating in NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month. I knew with school in the mix it would make writing more difficult due to endless assignments. Once the strike was confirmed I knew it was destiny to start my NaNoWriMo journey.

It was October 31st when I was sitting in Starbucks, a table for two, laptop in front of me as I typed NaNoWriMo into Google search and filled out the sign up sheet. Once my account was confirmed I then compiled my ideas into a one-page prologue. From there, the story wrote itself and the words flowed. The characters grew, the setting was painted and the plot thickened.

I started writing my YA dystopia, The Defective, November 1st. By November 12th I had reached the 50,000 word goal, but I didn’t stop there. I wanted to finish the book in its entirety. As school started back up it was more difficult to continue on, but once a week I would edit and add around 4000 words.

Last night, December 28, 2017, I completed my novel with 75,578 words and 307 pages. It’s surreal and it was an emotional moment that I’ll remember forever. I didn’t know whether to cry, laugh or jump up and down. The next months will be crucial with the editing, publishing and cover design process but it will be enthralling none the less.

And I truly don’t think the feat has hit me yet. My best friend told me that it’s a huge accomplishment, “You realize you wrote a whole novel in two months,” said Claudia. And I know that, but it’s almost as if my brain can’t compute the dexterity of my efforts. And maybe that’s because I fulfilled my passion. It didn’t feel like work, it wasn’t taxing task or a chore.

I simply did what I love and it didn’t ever feel like work along the way. It was fun and my creativity was left satisfied.

The Defective will be published around April of 2018. Keep your eyes pealed for more updates.

It's In The Stars By Biblio Virgo

Since I’ve been a book reviewer for almost two years now, I thought it was high time that I introduced the thought process behind my book ratings.

If you are not a bookworm and you are reading this then let me educate you. In the world of literature, reviewers rate books out of a five-star premise. It’s not out of ten, it’s not a grading or percent system. One, two, three, four and five stars, five being the best. In this post you will discover what each star rating means, from one all the way to five. Let’s begin.

Of course, any book reviewer knows that a one-star rating is the worst possible rate a book can receive. This means that, to put it bluntly, the book was trash. The storyline, the characters, the plot. Everything. Therefor, if I give a book one star that means I didn’t like it at all. I have yet to read a book that was one star.

Moving up ever so slightly is two stars. Although there is an extra star, to me this doesn’t mean much, it doesn’t give the book any extra points. To put it into simpler terms, if I give a book a two-star rating it means I thought the work was “meh”, which I’m sure an author never wants to here. I recently finished Our Little Secret by Claudia Carrol and I gave this book two stars. It didn’t dazzle me and I’ve read much better writing. All this aside, it wasn’t horrible so it didn’t get a one star.

Here we meet the happy medium: three stars. Not nothing jaw-dropping, but not bad either. I define three stars with the word “good.” The Possibility of of Somewhere by Julia Day was a three star rating because it didn’t leave me with a “wow factor” but at the same time it was pretty decent and it’s a book that I would recommend to other readers.

Now the going gets good. To me, four stars is amazing. In order for me to give out this rating the book needs to have an outstanding aspectI cannot recall my own four-star-rating at this point in time, regardless, the content, the characters and the storyline really need to pull me in.

Last but not least we have five stars! Yay! For me, five star novels have a wow factor to them, they make me sit back in my bed after reading the book and force me to take a deep breaths, not quite believing how spectacular the story was. These are the books that make me feel. That make me cry, laugh, smile, cringe. The books you can relate to and the ones that pull at your deepest, darkest emotions. That is a five star rating.

A round of applause, to name a few, goes to…

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes,

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover,

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

and

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld.

These are five-star reads.

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My Favourite Book Stores By Biblio Virgo

Bookstores are a bookworm’s sanctuary. It’s a place where people go to relax, browse the shelves, pick out new reads, or even to just make additions to their wish list.

Whether the shop is online or in-store, it still has the same effect, at least for me it does.

My favourite in-store bookshops are Chapters Indigo, Juniper Books, and Biblioasis, all of which are local to my location in Canada.

Chapters Indigo is where I go to discover the hot, new reads and it’s where I go to browse the YA section, as they have every book of this genre imaginable. Even though I am 19, I will never shed my love for young adult novels. I also love Chapters Indigo so much because they have an online app which allows me to purchase books right from the comfort of my finger tips. Want to avoid the crowds of Black Friday and Boxing Day? Use the app.

Juniper Books is where I go to scan used books. Usually my dad and I will make a day to spend hours in-between the shelves. I know many people who despise used books and their rustic smell, along with the yellow pages, but I love this aspect. The prices are also super cheap. The last time I went there I got 15 books for $30.00. Great deal right? The store is set up in an old, city house and is filled with every genre imaginable from cookbooks in the kitchen to sci-fi in the attic. Not only is the book selection phenomenally vintage, but the atmosphere is unique as well.

Since Biblioais also has a publishing sector, this is where I go to discover local authors. They publish local authors within their store and sell their works as well. I once covered a book signing there for Emily Schultz who grew up in the city of Windsor, so that was pretty cool. I don’t buy any other books there though because they are overpriced. Regular books you’d find at Chapters cost even more because they are an independent bookstore.

One of my other favourite online stores aside from Indigo is Book Outlet, which is a Canadian site. I love this site so much, because again, there are great deals with cheap prices along with many genres to choose from.

And there you have it, my picks of the bookstore crop. I hope you fancy looking into some of these stores, I wouldn’t write about them if they weren’t great!

November Wrap-Up

As the frigid, winter temperatures settled in, stagnating all momentum of growth, my reading journey seemed to be effected as well.

In the month of November I only read two books. I am not so sure how I feel about this, because although my reading took a blow, my writing flourished and I was able to complete NaNoWriMo.

Even though I only read a couple books, they were still great reads. The contrast of Julia Day’s young adult contemporary,The Possibility of Somewhereand Gary John Bishop’s novel of self-help, Unfu*k Yourself, added a great variety to my reading experience.

​Below are the blurbs of both of these books to the left. Maybe you will find yourself adding one of these to your TBR.

Unfu*k Yourself Blurb

Have you ever felt like a hamster on a wheel, furiously churning your way through life but somehow going nowhere? It seems like there’s a barrage of information surrounding us in our everyday lives with the keys to this thing or that thing, be it wealth, success, happiness or purpose. The truth is, most of it fails to capture what it truly takes to overcome our greatest barrier to a greater life…ourselves. What if everything you ever wanted resided in you like a well of potential, waiting to be expressed? Unfu*k Yourself is the handbook for the resigned and defeated, a manifesto for real life change and unleashing your own greatness.

​The Possibility of Somewhere Blurb

Ash Gupta has a life full of possibility. His senior year is going exactly as he’s always wanted-- he's admired by his peers, enjoying his classes and getting the kind of grades that his wealthy, immigrant parents expect. There's only one obstacle in Ash's path: Eden Moore—the senior most likely to become class valedictorian. How could this unpopular, sharp-tongued girl from the wrong side of the tracks stand in his way?

All Eden's ever wanted was a way out. Her perfect GPA should be enough to guarantee her a free ride to college -- and an exit from her trailer-park existence for good. The last thing she needs is a bitter rivalry with Ash, who wants a prized scholarship for his own selfish reasons. Or so she thinks. . . When Eden ends up working with Ash on a class project, she discovers that the two have more in common than either of them could have imagined. They’re both in pursuit of a dream -- one that feels within reach thanks to their new connection. But what does the future hold for two passionate souls from totally different worlds?

November Book Haul

Is this real?

Am I dreaming?

Someone pinch me.

It feels like just yesterday when I opened the door to the MediaPlex to attend my second year of college, September’s warm weather, leftover from the end of summer, pushing me into the building.

It feels like just yesterday that it was the first day of my 2017 first semester. Then someway, somehow, September turned into October, and then into November, and now… DECEMBER.

Where does time go?

In another month I will be starting my second and last semester of journalism and it seems so surreal to me.

Despite my focus on school, I had accumulated quite a few books over the month of November, including eight physical copies and three ebooks.

Care to take a look.​Books I have bought or received over the month of November:

​Where She Went by Gale Forman

This is the second book which follows If I Stay by Gayle Forman. I have heard a lot of mixed reviews about Gayle Forman as an author and want to experience his writing for myself. I have yet to get around to reading the first book, but now that the second one is in my possession I hope to get to both of them in 2018.

​​​The Vault of Dreams by Caragh M. O'Brien (Dystopia)

​I don't know too much about this book, but I love Dystopia everything and the title sounds very interesting.

​​​Lindsey Lost by Suzanne Marie Phillips (Thriller/Mystery)

Again, I am not well-acquainted with this book or its author but I love branching out with reading different authors.

​Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent (sent my Simon and Schuster Canada)

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​Lost in Whispers by Mary Castillo (sent by author)

This is the second book of a series following Lost in the Light by Mary Castillo.

​Forsaken by Brittney Kristina

I was ​originally sent this book by the author herself in the form of an ebook. I loved it so much that I purchased the paperback copy.

​Boneseeker by Brynn Chapman

I was sent this book by Prism Books in the form of an ebook to participate in their January book blog tour. Very excited!

​More Than This by Patrick Ness

This was a book I solely purchased for myself from Chapters Indigo. I've heard many great things about Patrick Ness and have decided to give his book a try. When I was in the bookstore I read the first page and I can already say that I really enjoy his writing style.

​Honey Butter by Millie Florence (sent by the author)

​I met the author via Instagram. She is rather young for an author and I am excited to see what her story is about.

And there you have it. That is my lovely book haul for the month of November. I'm pleased to see different authors and different genres in the mix. I also hope you find interest in one of these books as well and add them to your TBR.

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Don't judge a book by its... charger?By Biblio Virgo

“Nope, nada, no way. I’ll be caught dead if I’m seen with an e-reader in my hand,” said 16, 17, and 18-year-old me.

Obviously, 19-year-old me did not share the same sentiments when I asked my dad for an e-reader for my 19th birthday. Now in my possession, I own a Kobo Aura Edition 2.

The catch? I LOVE IT.

I was a firm believer that reading and electronics could never go hand-in-hand, but the phrase “don’t knock before you try it” can be greatly applied in this situation.

As I became a more vicarious reader, not only expanding my interests in genres, but different authors as well, I thought it would be amiable to give an e-reader a try. I had listened to an audio book and found it quite enjoyable, so why not?

When it comes down to it, there is nothing I love more than the physical copy of a book in my hands; its spine resting on my lap, its pages sprawled open on my legs for me to read, and who can forget the satisfying turn of the page?

Let’s talk about how easy and versatile these contraptions are to hold. You and I both know that larger paperback and hardcover books can be wonky and heavy to carry, but with the pages all filed into a single electronic devise you sidestep this issue altogether. It is a simple rectangle that is amazingly light.

This is for all you night owls. An e-reader allows you to read in the dark… without a lamp! Who would have known? Not only does the screen light up but you can also control the strength of its luminosity to suit any individuals oncological needs. Also, if you are picky and despise Times New Roman font (like me), you are able to analyze a vast selection to suit your bookworm preferences. The power is truly at your finger tips.

And I will finish my spiel up by saying that my Kobo is much easier to tuck into my bag or purse, and is also more durable for travelling purposes. With my nifty leather case I purchased from Chapters Indigo, I never have to worry about a single scratch, and the material in which the device is covered in is also malleable as well.

The choice is up to you and the possibilities are endless, but never shun what you despise. You may end up finding that you like it.

Heads or tails of the book world By Biblio Virgo

And so, we meet again.

A common enemy though sometimes a friend.

Heads - dog-ear the page.

Tails - insert a bookmark.

Which are you?

Let’s state the cold-hard facts guys. There are two types of bookworms in this world: those who use a bookmark and those who dog-ear. I try not to cringe every time I type that word, dog-ear, and I will try to remain as unbiased as possible throughout this blog as I myself am a fellow bookmark user.

A couple weeks ago I took the liberty to formulate a survey via story on my Bookstagram account. As this is a book community platform I thought it was fitting.

My question: Do you use a bookmark or do you dog-ear?

The results? These may surprise you depending on which party you’re rooting for.

Based off of my unscientific survey, the coin landed on tails. 90 per cent of readers use a bookmark and 10 per cent prefer dog-ear.

Let me try to sympathize from both angles. Bookmarks are nice to look at. There are many different types to suit each individual’s personality - magnetic clips, corner covers, string styles and your basic rectangle. By using a bookmark no pages are harmed, but the catch? It feels like the end of the world if you tilt or drop your book a certain way causing the bookmark to fallout, causing you to lose your spot.

“Oh crap! What page was I on again? Ummm, ummm I know I was around the 120s.”

It sucks.

Some people say dog-ears add character and make the book look used and love. I can agree with this. One thing I adore about perusing a used bookstore is seeing the imprints that other bookworms have left on the books, such as handwritten notes or the crease of a fold. The downfall though is that you’re harming the page in the process, which is where I struggle with conflict because character looks very admirable on a book.

I have laid it out on the table for all eyes to see.

Choose as you may, whether you fall into the 90 per cent or 10 per cent…

A bookworm is still a bookworm no matter the method of marking they choose.

How to make the most of reading By Biblio Virgo

You can open a book, read the words, flip the pages, until you are done, until you close the book and stand up from your chair, walk over to your bookshelf only to instantly grab another book.

But did you really read the book? Did you really process the storyline, analyze the characters, explore the author’s writing and allow the novel’s message to set in? If you answer no, then really, you did not read.

Dictionary.com defines reading as “to look at carefully so as to understand the meaning of (something written, printed, etc).” If you find you are a person who does not neatly fit into this definition, if you find you do not pay attentive attention to sentences and do not understand what the vowels and consonants mean, then you are in luck. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your reading experience.

1. Investment

One of the biggest issues I find with reading (I myself am guilty of this), is that people read books they genuinely are not interested in.

Guilt is a prevalent influencer in this aspect. If you are a dedicated bookworm you have it in your mind that once you start a book you must finish it. You feel that you owe it to the author and the book’s characters to complete the book in its entirety.

But if you dread looking at the book collecting dust on your bed-side table, if you find yourself easily distracted when reading a chapter or you feel as if each word is a bite of toffy - no matter how hard you chew it will not loosen its grasp from your teeth - then move on. Put the book down. Right now. It will do you no good and will spear-head a reading slump, which no one appreciates.

When reading a book, make sure it is one you 100 percent love and adore. You will find your that your reading speed increases and you will process events more easily.

2. “Keep your eyes on your own fries”

I do not mean literally. Let me explain.

While reading, I find that my eyes tend to stray from the given sentence. Not all the time, but sometimes. It is as if my mind wants to jump ahead and says, “Hey, I want to know what happens after this.”

Are you picking up what I am putting down?

To fulfill your reading experience try to maintain focus on the sentence and words at hand. I find I read more quickly and digest everything better when I read one sentence at a time. Before you know it, you are 20 pages in.

3. Notations

This tip may be what I consider the most important.

Every time I start a new book I start note in my Notes app on my iPhone 6. It works like a charm. I type the title of the book in all caps and while reading the book I will jot down important moments, introduction of characters and provoking quotes. This makes it easier for me to form my review after reading the book.

Another tidbit that you may find most useful are sticky notes.

I don’t read a book without them.

Not ever.

You can use them however you please. The sticky notes I use come in five colours: yellow, orange, blue, pink and green. I use a colour-code scheme where yellow signifies quotes, orange signifies happy moments, blue outlines sad or angry moments, pink means times of romance and green introduces new characters. Again, you can use this tool however you would like to. Either way you will find it easier to remember key moments in the book.

4. Reflect

Trust me.

I get it.

When you find a book that you just can’t put down all you want to do is keep flipping the pages until you’ve reached the end.

This isn’t wrong, but there is a more correct way to read than outlined above.

If something important, emotionally groundbreaking or intense happens in the story, give yourself 30 seconds to sit back and mull over what happened. This allows your brain to fully absorb the change in the storyline and will allow you to remember what happened more easily.

Trust me.

It works.

5. Mega phone

HELLO.

CAN YOU HEAR ME?

Good.

We all use the little guy (or girl) in our brain. Heck. I’m using her right now to write this blog post. That’s right. Our little voice of subconscious. Isn’t it a wonderful thing? A little voice that reads aloud for us and only we ourselves can hear it.

Genius.

I don’t know about you but when I’m reading, I put that little voice on full blast. My voice will possess a different tone for narration as well as for different characters. It is almost as if there is a play performance partaking in my mind, which makes my reading experience that much more enjoyable. Each character has a different voice. This allows me to relate to the character and tells me a little bit more about who they are as a person.

Turn it up full blast guys.

Full blast.

And there you have it - my five tips to make the most out of reading. I hope you found these quirky, enjoyable and useful. Use freely and willingly.

Until next time, keep on reading.

​Biblio-itis

It’s there. Every time you enter the building. Driving into the mall parking lot you see the glossy, crimson letters spelled out proud C-H-A-P-T-E-R-S. Oh how I would love to read the endless amount of chapters you have to offer, to read all the spines stacked on the shelves, to skim through the genres and…

See.

This is what I’m talking about.

Every time I go to the mall I say to myself: “Don’t buy books, you don’t need them.” And almost every time I fail. Miserably.

I would like to say I can help it but I can’t. Walking by the bookstore alone puts my whole being at ease, as if the smell of the pages ceases all my life’s worries with one whiff. And of course, once I smell the pages I can’t just ignore them, so I walk in. Bad idea, because more times than not my will-power is defeated when I see a book on my wishlist or I find a must-read story.

But the worst part? I can walk into the mall from the entire opposite side of where the bookstore is located and I will still find myself strolling through the bookshelves.

I’ve come to the conclusion that there is nothing I can do but label this condition Biblio-itis.

Beware. There is no cure.

It’s terminal.

​- BV ​

​Sincerely all reviewers, an open letter

Dear Authors,

Hey there. It’s me. Yup. That person who reviews your books. Who takes the time to mill through your wonderful pages full of words and plots and characters and even uses sticky notes to remember key parts and even has their phone by their side the whole time, Note app open, to jot down important moments so that when it comes time to review your unique, individual novel we can spill our guts out in one, two, three, four, five stars. Man. That was one real long runaway sentence, but I hope you read it as I did, kind of like John Greene in Crash Course, with a bunch of heaving breaths. Yeah.

The thing is, is that we, reviewers, care. A lot. A whole heck of a doozie. We care so much that every time one of you asks us to review your book we jump up and down with glee. “Heck yes!” We love helping you. LOVE it. And we do it for free. Out of sheer passion. But we say yes so many times because we care so darn much that eventually we end up with dozens and dozens of novels. Yikes!

And then there is a problem. A whole heck of a problem. Because we, one single reviewer, do not have dozens and dozens of eyes to read and dozens and dozens of brains to stay up at night while the other particles rest and we do not have dozens and dozens of hours to sit on our tooshies with our noses in books (though you know we’d love to).

We have lives outside of book spines and paper. Outside of fantasy and mystery and dystopia. School? It sucks the energy out of you. Work? Can I just crawl into bed when I get home? And don’t even get me started when relationship issues get in the way, romantic or not. Things happen. Shit happens. Life happens. So yes, unfortunately we will not get to your books as soon as you’d like us to. And it eats at us. Because again, we care.

But that’s the thing. We care. So when we don’t get to your book at a time you’d like us to, don’t send us rude, degrading messages. Don’t make us feel bad for something that we already feel bad about, that is always on the brain. Don’t make us feel like we are not good enough and do not take the fun out of reviewing for us! Because without us, you wouldn’t have reviewers. Please be kind. We are kind to you.

We are reviewers, not perfection. We won’t always hit deadlines.

​- BV​​

​July Wrap-Up

Can someone please tell me where the month of July has flown to? I feel as though I took a second to blink and when I opened my eyes it was gone. Reminiscing put aside, here are the books I read:

- Note To Self by Connor Franta (5 stars, 304 pages)

- A Beautiful Composition of Broken by R.H. Sin (4 stars, 461 pages)

- The Lying Game by Ruth Ware (4 stars, 370 pages)

- Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon (5 stars, 310 pages)

I have to say I was really impressed with the novels listed above. I did stray from my initial reading lineup but I am very glad I did so. I discovered beautiful and inspiring works of poetry that shaped me as a person and I fell in love with the ambitious and loving characters of Olly and Maddy in Everything Everything.

Despite the star-ratings, my favourite book for this month was The Lying Game. It was probably one of the most well-written mystery novels aside from Nancy Drew. Ware incorporates a creative spin of suspense, drama, friendship and romance all into one novel, and I appreciate her originality.

So long and farewell July.

- BV

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​Passion does not need to be paid

Curtesy of Google

I cannot count how many times I have been asked the same question: “Well, do you get paid for it?”

Do I get paid for writing reviews? Do I get paid for sitting down and reading books? Do I get paid for something I volunteer my time and effort to do? If I could shout from the top of my lungs upon the earth’s highest peak, I would do so right now. The answer is no.

I do not quite understand when and where in society the transition occurred - our gluttonous association with money, the want, the need, the dependency on our country’s currency.

And the funny thing, is that after people ask the question they always feel the need to justify it: “Well I just thought, you know, you get sent these books, you think you’d get paid.”

I do get paid. Remember this thing called happiness? It is seeing people read your reviews, liking what they read and purchasing the book. It is seeing that your writing is making a difference.

Do you remember what passion means? It is having a deep adoration for writing and all things literature, and using that love to help authors and publishing companies. And the amount of love you have for writing is so great that you will do it for free, because you know your results will outweigh any sum of money.

It makes me sick to think people are stuck in this frame of mind. I do not need payment for my passion. With knowing I am helping an author in their career is enough for me. With knowing people might buy books from my reviews is enough for me. With knowing that authors benefit from the reviewing industry as a whole, is enough for me and so much more.

Sometimes people need to remember, payment does not always come in paper bills.

And maybe that is the issue, people are focused on the wrong kind of paper.

Pick up a book sometime. You might like it.

- BV

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​Hello There July

It is that time of month again, time for a TBR list. June flew by and I cannot believe July is already among us. When I think of July I think of colours, excitement and energy. Maybe it is because Canada and U.S.A both celebrate important days with fireworks and festivities. Here is my TBR for this month. ____________The Possibility of Somewhere by Julia Day(sent by Raincoast)I chose this book because I need to catch up on publishing house reads and also because of the cover. It looks exuberant, lively and adventurous, perfect for any summer read. If you like books placed in a high school setting with drama, romance and friendship then I advise you look into this book. Defy The Stars by Claudia Gray(sent by Hachette Books Group Canada) I don’t know about you, but for me, July is definitely a month to defy stars. This book is a mixture of dystopia and sci-fi set in outer space. This novel possesses a unique characteristic. Not only is it abounding in adventure but it also features robots. I have yet to read a book with those type of mechanics and I am excited to do so. Everything Everything by Nicola YoonDo I even have to say why I chose this book? No, it is not because of the movie. I have known of this novel’s greatness before I heard about the film adaptation, thanks to Bookstagram. Yes, this was definitely a Bookstagram buy but I have not heard a single negative comment about this YA, heart-wrenching romance. I wonder if I will love it as much as Me Before You. I will have to find out. ____________This is my lineup for July. I hope you like my choices of literature. Feel free to further look into these books. Happy reading. - BV

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​What's Good In Literature?

It is about high time I finally curated a recommendation blog post, better late than never. Listed below are titles of books I enjoyed that I would recommend to anyone.

These are books that brought out the smiles, the tears, the thoughts and frustration - the best kinds of books.

If you do not end up liking my book recommendations that is more than okay as I am aware that every reader is different and prefers different elements.

1. Illuminae

I will try not to blabber on too long with each book but I cannot make any promises. Illuminae is where sci-fi meets romance, drama, suspense and thriller all mixed into one compilation.

I will admit when the book first came out I was unsure of it due to the creative formatting and original title, I did not know if it would be my cup of tea. When my friend Carly let me borrow it I was mindblown and finished it in one sitting. It is an intense read that takes you for a ride, a ride you will never forget.

2. It Ends With Us

On Bookstagram, everyone talks about how amazing Colleen Hoover is. I am not going to lie, at first I was like: “Colleen Hoover? Who?” I know, it is horrible. But then I did some dutiful research and discovered that she is a notorious romance author, which bummed me out because I am not a hardcore romance reader.

I was walking around Chapters one day and saw It Ends With Us, the first Colleen Hoover novel I have picked up. I read the back and it sounded really good so I said why not? It is worth a try.

If I did not pick up this novel that day I would find a way to travel back in time, smack myself in the face and shove the book in my hand. This story is unlike any other romance I have read. It will break your heart, it will make you laugh.

I also love how Colleen incorporates a serious social issue and creates awareness about it. This book will go down in history, or it should.

3. Orphan Train

When starting my Bookstagram account, this is the second book I read. I had borrowed it from my grandma and it still sits on my shelf today. I cannot part with it.

This book is based on a true story, and maybe it is the story and the history all in itself that made me fall in love.

During 1845 to 1929 there was transportation that ran from East Coast, United States to the Midwest known as orphan trains. Here orphans would travel only to be auctioned off to willing people.

The story is seen from a child who was on the train. We see her journey growing up and it is extremely moving.

Every other chapter flips to a modern-day orphan and her tribulations that come along with it.

Though this is more of a serious novel it is moving nonetheless.

4. The Catcher In The Rye

I discovered this novel in grade 12 academic English class. The majority of the class hated the book, with me being the rare minority. I loved it.

I loved experiencing Holden’s story. It was quite psychological and I hope to read it again. The symbolism and the style of writing was also exquisite but J.D. Salinger provides nothing less.

I wish I had the guts to run away in New York City. I would never come back.

5. The Choice

What? You said you were not a hardcore romance reader and then you put The Choice as one of your recommendations?

I am so glad you asked.

I chose this novel in despite of the romance. I chose this novel because it provides life lessons with beautiful writing that we can all learn from.

Sometimes things happen in life, some more traumatic than others, but you have got to pull through it, no matter what it is.

This is a book about strength and overcoming the impossible, so yes, I think everyone should read this novel.

And we have come to the conclusion of my recommendation list. If not all, then I hope at least one book interested you.

Just keep reading.

- BV

​Anticipated read 2017

Through tedious researching and browsing, I have mulled over multiple releases 2017 has to offer. The one I am most excited for is The Child ​by Fiona Barton.

The Child will be on sale in the month of June and I'm itching to pre-order a copy through my Indigo ap. The book's blurb is presented below:

As an old house is demolished in a gentrifying section of London, a workman discovers a tiny skeleton, buried for years. For journalist Kate Waters, it’s a story that deserves attention. She cobbles together a piece for her newspaper, but at a loss for answers, she can only pose a question: Who is the Building Site Baby?

As Kate investigates, she unearths connections to a crime that rocked the city decades earlier: A newborn baby was stolen from the maternity ward in a local hospital and was never found. Her heartbroken parents were left devastated by the loss.

But there is more to the story, and Kate is drawn—house by house—into the pasts of the people who once lived in this neighborhood that has given up its greatest mystery. And she soon finds herself the keeper of unexpected secrets that erupt in the lives of three women—and torn between what she can and cannot tell…

Being a journalist I find great interest in this storyline.

This book offers great content for any thriller/mystery bookworm.

Give it a read. I know I am.

- BV

​May TBR List

Each month has a different feeling.

For August, books with beaches and tropical settings are suitable.

For January it is suffice to say that people prefer darker dramas or supernatural works.

But for May? May is a whole different entity with the welcoming of summer weather. This is where lighter romances start to arise with flirting, relationships, hook-ups and adventure. Here are the books I've chosen to read this month.

Shabby Chic at Heart and Shabby Chic After All by Kirsten Fullmer

With the first two books sent to me by the author herself, Shabby Chic Trilogy offers adult adventure.

​Tara lives in small-town Smithville, refurbishing historical homes. She's never had much room for relationships in her life as she puts all her time and effort into her work.

That is until Justin, a city investor, shows up.

Justin plans to bring innovation to the small town by building luxury resorts.

But will Tara let him?

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Yes. I see you creeping my blog all you CoHo fans. This will be my first ever Colleen Hoover read and I'm extremely excited. I bought this book back in February and I've been prolonging the read until May, when I thought it was most appropriate.

Like Shabby Chic, the story revolves around a hometown girl Lily.

She moved to Boston after graduating college to kick-start her own business. Here Lily meets Ryle, a neurosurgeon (this totally gives me some Grey's Anatomy vibes. Lots of McDreamy vibes).

A relationship starts to form between the couple when Lily's first love, Atlas, suddenly appears.

Who will she choose?

Crowning Design by Leila Meacham

A tender, classic love story about the secrets that linger in our hearts and the choices that set us free...

Need I say more?

For some people their job is their passion. For some people their job is such a large focal point that there is no room for anything else, including soon-to-be husbands.

Deborah Standbridge called off her wedding to pursue her career with architecture. Her intention wasn't to hurt people but to better herself and develop her dreams.

Deborah becomes one of the best architectures in Denver leaving love to the wind, until she meets Daniel Parker who possesses a dark secret.

She is left to decide whether she wants a lifetime of love or work.

I hope you find my May reads inspiring and see something you'd like to read.

- BV

​Caraval Read Along

Within the next two weeks I am partaking in my first ever read along with nine other Bookstagrammers.

The book we will be reading is Caraval by Stephanie Garber, a magical and mysterious fantasy young adult novel. I have always been a standalone reader so reading in a group will be a new experience. I am quite excited. I have gotten to know these lovely ladies and am appreciative to have them by my side through this novel.

Each day and week we will discuss the novel’s events, characters, setting etc. in a group chat. We will be able to talk about things we like, things we do not like, favourite characters and who we despise.

This read along has shown me that Bookstagram really is a community where you can connect with other bookworms and literature lovers.

Are you along for the ride? ​

​- BV

​"Men Walking On Water" Book Launch

The book launch for Men Walking On Water, by Emily Schultz, was an unforgettable experience.

The book was released this past Monday, May 22. If you have a deep craving for historical fiction then you’re in for an exceptionally delicious treat.

With thorough research Schultz turned back the clock to the 1920’s and more specifically to the rum running business that existed in border cities Detroit (USA) and Windsor (Canada).

As a journalist I was able to delve into the layers of pages prior to Schultz’ reading by asking questions about the novel and her experience as an author.

Schultz then stepped up to the mic and read a portion of her book aloud to the audience.

Beauty.

Extreme beauty poured from Schultz’ lips as she read her book aloud.

As bookworms, readers and reviewers we are all too familiar with how a book sounds through the lips of the mind, but have you ever stopped to consider what it’s like to read the words aloud?

It’s like music, except instead of the song existing only in your mind it’s playing for the whole world to hear.

People were then able to get their copies of the book signed, including myself, and were able to speak more with Schultz.

For more about Emily Schultz and her literature works visit the link below.

​All Aboard the Blog Tour Express

I’m excited to say that I will be participating in my second blog tour. My first was with Simon and Schuster Canada, this one being with Raincoast publishing. The focal book is But Then I Came Back by Estelle Laure. Here’s a taste of this YA contemporary:

What do you do when you wake up from a coma? Go back to the way things were or start something new?

From the author of This Raging Light comes the story of Eden Jones, a seventeen-year-old girl who feels lost after surviving a near fatal accident. Unable to connect with her family and friends, Eden forms an unlikely relationship with Joe, a boy who comes to the hospital to visit Jasmine, a friend who may soon be gone forever. Eden is the only person who can get through to Jasmine, but is Eden brave enough to face a world that’s bigger and more magical than she ever would have allowed?

​Lyrical, unexpected, and romantic, Estelle Laure’s new novel is about interwoven lives, long goodbyes, and the imperfect beauty of young love.

If the blurb didn’t hook you alone make sure you keep your eyes peeled during April 3-6 where myself, along with other bookworms will be posting reviews and a Q and A with Laure. My date specifically is April 5, and publication date in April 4.

*Train whistle in distance.*

- BV

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​"Book Journaling"

I don't know about other bookworms on this planet, but for me, my mind never stops racing. It thinks at a million miles per second, spinning out of control, until I'm left falling dizzy to the floor.

So.

I thought about "Book Journaling" (a term I created).

I've never been one for writing in diaries, spilling my heart out onto an open page with sappy feelings and cheesy contexts. But this is different. Everyday I have bookish thoughts that pop into my brain; one bubble here, one bubble there. I find trouble trying to store them all by simple memory so I decided to write them down.

​I'll write about my blog, what books I'm currently reading, what books I want to read, authors I'm interested in, books I've received from publishing companies - all compiled in a creative way for me to remember in a journal.

​I take a little time out of each day to unleash my thoughts so I don't feel overwhelmed. It's a great technique that anyone with a hyperactive mind would take a liking to.